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Small Grant Scheme: Research for elimination of Communicable Diseases in LAC Region

Deadline: 15-Mar-21

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in collaboration with the Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), is pleased to announce the 2021 – 2022 call for applications for the Joint PAHO/TDR Small Grant Scheme for operational research to support the elimination of communicable diseases in the Latin American and Caribbean Region.

This call aligns with the EI which promotes linkages and synergies within the health system and with other sectors and uses a life course approach, emphasizing primary health care (PHC) and leveraging well-established PHC platforms. It seeks to achieve economies of scale; strengthen disease surveillance and health information systems; boost integration of quality-assured health services, health systems, and laboratory networks; promote operational research and facilitate policies that favor the elimination of the selected diseases, community mobilization, and health promotion efforts.

The focus for this call will be on the following group of diseases and/or health conditions that represent a significant burden and disproportionally affect the more vulnerable populations in the Region and whose elimination is feasible using available and innovative technical means. These are trachoma, Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (EMTCT) of Hepatitis B virus and Chagas, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH), and tuberculosis.

Priority Research Areas

  • Trachoma:
    • What are the facilitators and barriers mediating the face-washing with soap and water throughout the day, among children 1 to 9 years old in indigenous communities of the Amazon basin of Brazil, Colombia, and Peru where trachoma is documented as a public health problem? (PFII/2004/WS.1/3) (Indigenous communities where there is evidence of trachoma as a public health problem according to official information from the Ministries of Health of Brazil, Colombia, and Peru). What is the most reliable metric for measuring them? What interventions should be implemented to increase the facial cleanliness of children in this context?
    • Rapid assessments for trachoma among rural communities in the Amazon basin of Ecuador and Bolivia to provide information on the need or not to subsequently implement population-based surveys (The Amazon region of Bolivia and Ecuador according to official geographical information in both countries).
  • Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus and Chagas:
    • Assessment of the epidemiology and cascade of care and the coverage of interventions for prevention/treatment of HBV and Chagas for pregnant women, mothers, and their children up to a definitive diagnosis and/or cure.
    • Design, pilot and evaluate an innovative model of care and service delivery in Mother-Child Health including antenatal care that addresses EMTCT of hepatitis B and Chagas, integrated with other diseases.
  • Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis:
    • When delivering deworming drugs (as a public health intervention) for adolescent girls, women of reproductive age, and pregnant women (eligible), what are the most effective strategies to achieve acceptance/compliance in populations living in endemic geographic areas?
    • Are snails still intermediate hosts for schistosomiasis transmission in St. Lucia and what malacological surveillance methods best answer this question?
  • Tuberculosis:
    • Pilot the introduction and scale-up of treating latent TB with the short regimen of rifapentine plus isoniazid (3HP) and document the effectiveness and challenges of the interventions used.
    • Assess the increase in TB diagnosis using rapid tests in the population under 15 years of age.

Funding Information

  • Financial support: A total of five proposals for up to US$ 30 000 per grant will be funded. Co-funding from domestic or other sources is encouraged.
  • Study duration: 12-18 months.

Eligibility Criteria

  • The application must be complete and be submitted before the deadline;
  • The research proposed must be conducted in Latin America and the Caribbean;
  • The principal investigator must be based in institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean, including national tropical/communicable disease control program, ministries of health, academic institutions, research institutes, national research institutions; and non-governmental organizations;
  • The research project proposed in the application must relate to the objective and scope described in the present call;
  • Proposals submitted should include a signed acknowledgment letter of the manager of the program area or person in charge of the program that is related to the project at any level of the public health/healthcare services (Primary Health Care Units, Municipal Secretaries of Health, State Department of Health, or National Ministry or Secretary of Health for example). The acknowledgment letter does not mean there is a need for clearance for the project, as no technical assessment is needed at this level;
  • Applications are encouraged from everyone, irrespective of gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion or belief, cultural and social background, and (dis)ability.

Selection and Notification Process  

  • Proposals will be selected on a competitive basis by external reviewers and WHO staff (PAHO and TDR) among each priority research area. The applications will be evaluated on scientific merit, relevance, feasibility, and public health impact of the project. Principal investigators will be informed of the results within one month of the application deadline. The publications resulting from the supported projects and data will follow the open-access policy and should clearly refer to the PAHO/TDR Small Grant Program support and indicate the grant number.
  • Proposals done in collaboration between academic institutions and the national control program of the ministries of health or staff working at any level of the public health and healthcare systems are encouraged for both, the implementation of the research project and the resulting publication. This will be considered an added value for the project, and contribute to translating the research findings into policy and practice.
  • Final protocols will need to be approved by the PAHO Ethics review Committee and relevant local research ethics committees before funds can be made available and projects can start implementation.
  • Funding will depend on obtaining ethical approval for the proposed research from the PAHO bioethical committee and relevant research ethics committees in the target country. Each application should be accompanied by a supporting letter from the institution indicating their interest in the project.

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