Research will target ‘urgent research questions’ about Covid-19 in sub-Saharan Africa
The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership has issued an “emergency funding” call for research into Covid-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus.
The call was opened on 3 April and will close on 17 April. The total call budget is €4.75 million (US$5.17m). Research must be undertaken in sub-Saharan Africa and focus on “urgent research questions” about the Covid-19 outbreak, research capacity, and collaboration.
The EDCTP said it will fast-track the review process to get projects underway as soon as possible.
“We call upon all our member states and global partners to join hands with us and co-finance the desperately needed collaborative clinical research involving Covid-19 to be conducted in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Michael Makanga, EDCTP executive director, in a statement.
The EDCTP’s other 2020 calls for research proposals are set to continue despite the current crisis. Six calls opened on 10 April with deadlines in July and August.
The largest of these has a budget of €23.4 million for up to 15 grants to boost the uptake of health products and interventions in sub-Saharan Africa and align with countries’ development goals.
Another call with the same budget will focus on small to medium clinical trials and studies for technologies or innovations to tackle poverty-related diseases on the continent.
EDCTP’s four regional networks in Africa that aim to increase research capacity to conduct clinical trials will receive grants totalling €18m to continue their work.
There are also three smaller calls: €2.5m for ethics and regulatory capacity; €5m for epidemic and outbreak response in collaboration with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention; and €3.75m for career development fellowships.