Safeguarding community-centred global health research during crises

Global health researchers face multiple challenges in proceeding with research programmes during crises, including ethical and safety questions, equitable participation of community members and the collection of robust data.

⇒ In Sri Lanka, the multi country global health programme ECLIPSE adopted innovative research methods in a context dictated by pandemic conditions, and strengthened by community engagement and involvement (CEI), to achieve its goals, provides a model for global health researchers working in crisis settings.

⇒ Following the government regulations in combination with scientific guidelines, closely monitoring the pandemic and timely prediction, adopting a robust CEI approach at the early stages of research and using innovative methods that moves beyond virtual mode can help navigation of research without disruption.

⇒ Incorporated crisis preparedness and alternative plans focusing on encouraging the use of CEI in grant proposal development by researchers and a the demand of global health research funders on these key aspects would enhance the ability of research programmes to sustain during crises.