In support of GloPID-R objectives and under the authority of its Chairs and its General Assembly, the Secretariat pursued a series of concrete objectives, covering the tasks outlined in the GloPID-R Charter and the Horizon 2020 Work programme, comprising strategic, operational, dissemination and organisational support activities to be realised in this Coordination and Support Action.
Since 2015, GloPID-R has brought together a large network of funders (28 members, plus the World Health Organization - WHO - and Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations - CEPI - as observers) with a common interest in research preparedness and rapid response to outbreaks. After 5 years the Secretariat is well settled, some procedures have been developed such as the Response Plan and the assessment of research gaps. Communication elements are in place, and there have been responsive discussions between Members on preparedness topics and ongoing outbreaks (e.g. Zika in Brazil, Latin America and the Caribbean; Yellow Fever in Angola and DRC; Plague in Madagascar; Lassa in Nigeria; Ebola in DRC). These developments have allowed better communication among GloPID-R Members, improved coordination of outbreak research funding, and progress in some thematic areas (e.g. clinical trials network, data sharing, Chikungunya research, and social sciences).
In 2019, a revised strategy has been developed after consultation with GloPID-R Members to reinforce involvement based on their capacity, to enhance research impact and ultimately benefit to the populations facing outbreaks. This revised strategy aims at strengthening the collaboration of funders, and developing research preparedness and response in interaction with other stakeholders involved, including the WHO Blue Print and the Global Coordination Mechanism. To implement this new strategy, a work has started to review Members profile and roles, add key missing stakeholders, and adapt the Charter and the Response Plan to the evolution of the 5 past years. This work will be pursued in the new period of funding of the project covering 2020 to 2022.
More specifically, the Secretariat:
- Provided organisational, administrative and secretarial support to the GloPID-R governance bodies: Board of Chairs, General Assembly, Industry Stakeholder Group, Scientific Advisory Board
- Supported the Clinical Trial Networks working group, aimed at better of sharing knowledge and improving practices; and improved interaction with other networks through (e.g. meeting organized with PREPARE - September 2018, Brussels - to advance clinical research preparedness to infectious disease outbreaks)
- Supported development and writing of data-sharing case studies and a road map for funders, setting principles and implementation rules discussed and presented in several meetings involving GloPID-R Members and partners.
- Supported the creation and development of a social science forum of funders to better address specific research issues in outbreak
- Supported the Members and Observers in participating in the response to Ebola outbreak in DRC by enhancing communication and coordination
- Chikungunya working group to identity research challenges and propose recommendations
- Supported Members effort to design a new “joint funding mechanism” aiming at coordinate funding of specific research thematic
