Sustaining stakeholder engagement for health research during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons from the RESPIRE programme in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, and Pakistan

Abstract

Governments worldwide responded to the continual waves of the COVID-19 pandemic with unprecedented measures ranging from social distancing and cancellation of public events to border restrictions and complete closure of all but essential services [1]. Health research studies were suspended, becoming casualties of COVID-19-related lockdowns and distancing policies [2]. Engaging and involving stakeholders including patients, community actors, health care providers, and policymakers in research also became challenging as in-person activities were paused or cancelled owing to the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission [3]. Healthcare providers were pulled into frontline care. Policymakers shifted priority from pressing public health issues including other respiratory health conditions towards COVID-19 [4].