Deadline: 10-Jun-21
The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (Research Promotion & Development; Health Emergency Preparedness and IHR) and the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), in collaboration with the WHO Health Security Preparedness Department, are pleased to announce a Call for Applications on “International Health Regulations (2005) and Health security preparedness”.
The purpose of this call is to identify projects that will document, synthesize and disseminate evidence of capacities for IHR (2005) implementation, health security and health emergency preparedness, as well as supporting the collaborative development and advancement of a preparedness research and development agenda.
Priority Research Areas
- As pertains to the Eastern Mediterranean Region, key lessons learned from the COVID-19 response, with a focus on the following:
- The changing landscape of global health security amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The role of active and engaged communities to accelerate the implementation of IHR (2005).
- Enhanced leadership and governance to improve IHR (2005) implementation and health security preparedness,
- Innovative approaches for the implementation of IHR (2005) in conflict settings.
- Prioritized approaches for health security preparedness.
- Evaluating IHR (2005) implementation and health security preparedness at subnational levels.
- Effectiveness and impact of public health and social measures, such as mask wearing, travel restrictions and physical distancing, on the trajectory of the epidemic.
- Risk perception, behaviours and fatigue due to long-term implementation of social measures.
- Innovations for the improvement of IHR (2005) with a focus on the following:
- Methodologies to enhance compliance with IHR (2005) in relation to notification under IHR, including international travel in the context of the COVID-19 response.
- Applications of IHR (2005) data to improve community surveillance.
- Success examples to enhance notification under IHR (2005) and their implications.
- Innovative approaches to enhance information sharing between IHR relevant sectors for early detection and rapid response to health emergencies.
- Innovative approaches to engage civil society organizations to engage communities to strengthen health security preparedness.
- Mobile applications to trace contacts of COVID-19 cases and control the outbreak.
- Role of social media in combating COVD-19 infodemic.
- Multisectoral coordination and collaboration with a focus on the following:
- Best practices of multisectoral coordination and whole of society approach to improve IHR (2005) implementation and health security preparedness.
- Best practices or mechanisms for coordination and collaboration with the private sector.
Funding Information
- Funds: US$ 5000 to US$ 10 000 per grant. Co-funding from domestic or other sources is encouraged.
- Study duration: 1 July – 31 December 2021.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants submitting proposals must be researchers or health professionals working in public health institutions under the umbrella of ministries of health, universities or research institutions, or nongovernmental organizations, from one of the following countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, occupied Palestinian territory, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates or Yemen.
- Proposals may only be submitted in English.
- Applicants should have a minimum of one publication in a peer-reviewed journal in the past 5 years.
- Applicants must demonstrate experience in operational and/or implementation research. This might include, but is not limited to, evidence of having been trained in operational /implementation research and being able to conduct research independently. Such training could include the TDR Implementation Research Toolkit, the MOOC (massive open online course) on implementation research or another formal research training experience.
- Experience working with national or local health programmes related to preparedness for health emergencies would be considered an advantage.
TDR is committed to equality, diversity and inclusivity in science. Researchers are encouraged to apply irrespective of gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious, cultural and social backgrounds, or (dis)ability status.
For more information, visit https://who.force.com/etdr/s/gs-solicitation/a0p3X00000d3u9cQAA/ca210008
