TDR is a global programme of scientific collaboration that helps facilitate, support and influence efforts to improve the health and well-being of people burdened by infectious diseases of poverty. Given our broad network of partners and collaborators, we would like to provide the following update. This will evolve as the pandemic situation evolves.

TDR’s contribution to the COVID-19 response effort include the following:

• supporting infectious disease researchers with training relevant to the COVID-19 context
• working with partners to support infectious disease research in resource-limited settings affected by COVID-19.

Supporting infectious disease researchers with training relevant to the COVID-19 context

The COVID-19 pandemic is testing the health research capacity of every country in an unprecedented way. Strengthening capacity for research on infectious diseases of poverty has always been at the heart of TDR’s training programmes, and we are seeing how years of investment are now paying off.

TDR-trained researchers applying their skills to the COVID-19 response effort

Over 400 TDR-trained researchers and programme officers are involved in the COVID-19 response in countries around the world, as shown in a recent survey of TDR alumni. Research training provided by TDR through its various training schemes has had benefits beyond research, with skills gained now being applied by 60% of respondents to various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic response. As well as research, these include: critical preparedness and response; situation analysis; surveillance; infection control; and clinical management.

Many of our current training programmes, such as the Structured Operational Research and Training IniTiative (SORT IT), are now being conducted virtually. We have piloted 10 SORT IT studies involving 11 countries using the SORT IT virtual platform in Eastern Europe. The online version of our  Implementation Research Toolkit is also being adapted for virtual learning.

In addition, TDR has developed a customized training course on Good Clinical Practice (GCP) for research teams in all hospitals participating in the WHO "Solidarity" clinical trial for COVID-19 treatments. This course is available on WHO Academy’s COVID-19 mobile learning app and has already been delivered to some country teams that are about to enrol patients in the Solidarity trial.

Working with partners to support infectious disease research in resource-limited settings affected by COVID-19

As COVID-19 spreads around the world, we are exploring research collaborations with partners to support the response effort in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The adverse impact of COVID-19 on health and welfare is likely to be considerable in resource-limited settings.

Promoting research data sharing

TDR is contributing to the work of the COVID-19 Clinical Research Coalition, announced in a comment in The Lancet. As a member of the coalition, TDR is contributing to the Data Sharing Working Group with a focus on supporting research in resource-limited settings.

Supporting continued management of tuberculosis

TDR is supporting the 27 countries of the West African Regional Network for Tuberculosis control (WARN-TB) and the Central African Regional Network for Tuberculosis control (CARN-TB) to minimize disruption of TB control programme activities as a result of COVID-19, by:

• collaborating with key international and regional stakeholders to develop a common methodology for evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on national TB programme performance and to learn from the COVID-19 experience in order to prepare countries for such a situation;
• supporting, in collaboration with The Union and Damien Foundation, ten operational research projects to evaluate interventions implemented by national TB programmes to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on TB control;
• hosting regular webinars with all NTP coordinators to share challenges and experiences of the implementation of a contingency plan; and
• conducting weekly monitoring of the impact of COVID-19 on TB notification.

Mitigating risks to malaria control

In collaboration with the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) working group and the WHO Global Malaria Programme, TDR is:

• helping countries in Africa navigate the potential impact of COVID-19 on SMC campaigns and  implementation research that they had planned for later this year;
• contributing to the development of specific procedures for conducting door-to-door SMC activities despite COVID-19 epidemics; and
• contributing to the development of videos to help train health care workers involved in SMC in the context of COVID-19 epidemics (to take the place of the face-to-face cascade training that is normally carried out to prepare for SMC).

As a programme cosponsored by UNICEF, UNDP, the World Bank and WHO, TDR is uniquely placed to facilitate exchange of information on COVID-19 activities currently being carried out by each agency and to identify potential areas of joint work. The ESSENCE on Health Research initiative, whose Secretariat is hosted at TDR, also serves as a platform for funding agencies to exchange good practices for managing research funding and research capacity strengthening in low- and middle-income countries in a COVID-19 pandemic context.

Implications of COVID-19 on how TDR works

• TDR is based at the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva. In March 2020, WHO headquarters switched to working virtually, except for staff working directly on COVID-19.
• The return to the office will be phased in accordance with the regulations set by the local and national authorities in Switzerland and in line with the epidemiological situation and vaccinations process in 2021.
• All existing contractual arrangements with collaborators and institutions will remain in place. Any individual(s) or organization(s) supported by TDR with further questions should contact the relevant TDR project manager.
• While there were some delays in the research and training activities in early 2020, currently, grantees are working virtually as much as possible. Our workplan for 2020–2021 remains unchanged for the most part, with some adjustments to timelines and planned costs.

TDR Governance meetings

• The Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) meeting was held in March 2021 the Standing Committee meeting was held in November 2020, both virtually.
• The Joint Coordinating Board (JCB) meeting was held virtually 17–18 June 2020, allowing for governance continuity of TDR’s performance. The JCB meeting in 2021 will also take place in June and also virtually.  The meetings allow JCB members to review the Programme's results and achievements, review financial reporting and guide plans for 2021 and beyond. JCB Webinars are being organized to provide technical update on TDR activities, especially in the context of COVID-19.
• Other than the governance meetings, all in-person meetings scheduled to take place at WHO headquarters are cancelled until further notice, although the possibility of holding these meetings virtually will be explored.

For any inquiries, please contact Dr Garry Aslanyan, Partnerships and Governance Manager.

We thank you for your continued collaboration during these extraordinary times.

John Reeder
Director, TDR