Scientists form coalition to lead COVID-19 research for treatments in low income countries

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A group of scientists and policymakers have launched an international research campaign that will focus on COVID-19 treatments options and vaccine research for low-income countries.

The COVID-19 Clinical Research Coalition which will consist of physicians is targeting African and Asian countries with the poor health system.

The coalition will be headed by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative-DNDI. The coalition brings together researchers from different countries like the US, Switzerland, UK, Sweden, Kenya, Ethiopia and even Uganda. According to DNDI, so far 70 collaborators have joined the coalition.

Several research trials are already underway in different parts of the world. One of the largest that has been formed is the WHO Solidarity trial.

According to DNDI, unlike other big research coalitions that have already been set up by the World Health Organisation, during the coalition, emphasis will be put on low-income countries unlike other efforts.

The coalition will facilitate a coordinated approach so that all data from all regions can be collected similarly, pooled and shared in real-time. This will help countries and the WHO to make rapid evidence-based decisions on policies and practice.

The launch of the coalition comes at a time when COVID-19 is spreading across the continent.

Dr Soumya Swaminathna, Chief Scientist, World Health Organization says the coalition will create solutions for how Africa can handle the outbreak.

“Although the epicentre is today elsewhere, we must prepare now for the consequences of this pandemic in more resource-constrained settings or we stand to lose many more lives,” he said.

According to Dr Swaminathna, the coalition will help WHO coordinate its global response to COVID-19. The WHO Solidarity trial that was launched last month mainly has Western countries involved.

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