COVID-19 Priorities in LAC
COVID-19 in Latin America and Caribbean: A determination of research priorities and call to action
It is critical that during a health emergency, research is carried out worldwide, not only to address priorities and determine treatment and prevention interventions, but also to ensure equity in those who benefit from the results of the research. For countries in the so-called Global South, the pandemic highlights important challenges such as structural inequalities that limit the implementation of measures, as well as deficiencies in health surveillance systems, health systems and sustainability policies, to respond quickly and effectively to health emergencies.
Together with other researchers from LAC, TGHN has led a study that aimed at identifying research priorities that require urgent attention in LAC.
Feune de Colombi, N., Bueno, F., Alger, J., Baker, B., Canario, J., Mestra, L., Osorio, L., Solar Hormazabal, O., Soriano, M., Matta, G., Lang, T., & Soto, R. (2020). COVID-19 en América Latina y Caribe: Determinación de prioridades en investigación y llamado a la acción. Revista Médica Hondureña, 88(2), 84-91. https://doi.org/10.5377/rmh.v88i2.11488
Here we present the results and call for greater collaboration in addressing them, not only during this pandemic, but also by increasing country preparedness for similar situations in the future.
ABSTRACT
- Background: The Global Health Network (www. tghn.org) established in January 2020 a community of practice to address research on COVID-19 in low/middle-income countries.
- Objective: To identify the COVID-19 research gaps that require urgent attention in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and to establish a local open community of practice to support its implementation.
- Methods: Mixed methods exploratory study. LAC-specific results, from an online Survey (quantitative approach) that assessed whether the WHO’s priority research agenda for COVID-19 is still relevant, were analysed by asking participants to rank their top three options for short- and long-term priorities. An open virtual workshop (qualitative approach) was also organised and recorded. A pragmatic thematic analysis was conducted based on the panellists’ presentations and audience questions and comments. A coding framework was generated using inductive and then deductive approaches following the WHO agenda.
- Results: There were 223 participants from 22 countries. A consensus was identified on priority research and innovation issues for LAC, within and outside the WHO agenda, being a high priority the necessity of social sciences studies to support biomedical scientists.
- Discussion: As COVID-19 cases continue to increase in LAC, we believe that our findings are useful in guiding both research networks in planning studies and funders in their decisions to allocate resources to research and innovation.
Presentation of the results of the study at the XXVIth MULTIDISCIPLINARY CONGRESS OF THE POSTGRADUATES OF THE FACULTY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES of the NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF HONDURAS (17-19 November 2021).
This talk presents the organisation of the Global Health Network (TGHN) of the University of Oxford, and its COVID-19 HUB established in January 2020. It also presents the results of the research study that aims to identify research priorities that require urgent attention in LAC.