AMINA HUSSAINI
Nigeria is among the developing countries listed to benefit from a £7.2 million earmarked for 20 new research projects to address the impact of Covid-19 in vulnerable communities.
The projects include delivering mass vaccination capacity in Bangladesh, protective equipment for refugees in Jordan and remote healthcare access for patients in Nigeria
The UK government on 5 September announced its continued support of vulnerable communities through the impact and challenges of CoVID-19 with funding in areas of research and technology.
The 20 projects which will benefit from a share of £7.2 million U.K government funding will be in partnership with some of the UK’s leading research institutions, to develop new technology and processes to address challenges.
Some of the projects announced today include: the University of Birmingham, working with Brac University and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology to lead a project to increase vaccine access in developing economies, by researching more effective ways of storing and transporting vaccines from manufacturers to the point of use.
Weak supply chains with inconsistent temperature control have challenged the effectiveness of vaccines by up to 25 per cent, so this vital project will help fast track Covid-19 vaccine delivery.
Also is that of the King’s College London that will lead a training programme for healthcare workers across Nigeria and Tanzania enabling them to deliver trusted and safe care to patients over the phone where internet availability is limited.
Trials will involve 20 health clinics in each country to test the effectiveness of remote health appointments, recommended by the World Health Organization during the pandemic, to help minimise physical contact that could spread the virus.
On this project, King’s College London will work with University of Ibadan, Nigeria; Makerere University, Uganda; and St Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania.
Another is the one between University of Bath and the University of Lagos which the project aims to address the issue of limited Covid-19 testing capacity in Africa by leading a project to measure the disease in domestic wastewater, which can help reveal the health status of a population. By studying wastewater, real time information about infection prevalence across South Africa and Nigeria can be accessed, enabling rapid identification of Covid-19 hot spots, and helping to shape decisions around entry and exit from ‘lockdown’ periods.
Business Secretary Alok Sharma in his remarks said, “Defeating coronavirus is a truly global endeavour, which is why we’re backing Britain’s scientists and researchers to work with their international counterparts to find tech solutions to treat and combat this virus around the world.
He explained that the research projects that are being backed will ensure that some of the most vulnerable communities are equipped with the resources they need to tackle Covid-19 and build their long-term resilience to respond to future pandemics, making us all safer.
Other projects that are receiving funding include the University of Oxford work with the University of Cape Town to develop a parental advice app for families affected by COVID- 19 school closures across Africa; while Birmingham City University will partner with Lusaka and Ndola Colleges of Nursing to help improve the clinical decision making of nurses in Zambia, helping to free up their time and prevent healthcare systems from becoming overwhelmed; and also the University of Sheffield work with the UN Refugee Agency to make personal protective equipment with digital and 3D printing for Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp, home to approximately 80,000 Syrian refugees, helping to protect those living in crowded conditions that are most vulnerable to the virus. TA
Also on the list is the University of Edinburgh work that will work with the Open University of Tanzania to identify measures to make voting safer and more secure in African elections to promote social distancing and to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Professor Andrew Thompson, International Champion, UK Research and Innovation said, “Covid-19 is demonstrating how the world’s biggest problems transcend rich and poor countries. To find lasting, sustainable solutions to help us all during this current pandemic as well as to make us all more resilient for the future, we require global thinking, the mobilisation of global expertise and a global response. That is exactly what these new projects provide.
Thompson believes that by working together, researchers in the UK and across the Global South will combine their knowledge and experience to develop innovative solutions to help empower local communities to overcome the wide-ranging challenges created by Covid.
The funding follows the launch of the government’s ambitious R&D Roadmap in July, which committed to boosting international collaboration in research and development and establishing global scientific partnerships that will create health, social and economic benefits across the world.
It will be managed by UK aid programmes- the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and the Newton Fund- through UK Research and Innovation
The projects that are receiving funding are part of the Agile Covid-19 GCRF and Newton that was aunched in May 2020, to urgently understand the specific challenges faced by some of the world’s poorest people in the face of this pandemic.
The call was closed on 31 July and projects will be carried out over the next 18 months. A second tranche of awards will be announced later this year.
The Global Challenges Research Fund is a £1.5 billion fund supporting cutting-edge research and innovation that addresses the global issues faced by developing countries, and forms part of the UK Government’s ODA (Overseas Development Assistance) commitment. It harnesses the strengths of the UK’s world-leading researchers, enabling them to collaborate with experts in developing countries through equitable partnerships. The fund is managed by BEIS- the UK’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.
The Newton Fund builds research and innovation partnerships with 17 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America to support economic development and social welfare, tackle global challenges and develop talent and careers. It has a total UK government investment of £735 million up until 2021.
The fund is also managed by BEIS and delivered by UK and international partners.
Comments are closed.