South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF) will administer the COVID-19 Africa Rapid Fund Grant, which has an initial total funding of approximately $4.75-million (R80-million).
The fund has been launched to address research questions and implement science engagement activities associated with the pandemic.
Dr Molapo Qhobela, the CEO of the NRF, said the fund aims to support knowledge generation and translation to inform diagnostics, prevention and treatment of COVID-19, and strengthen African regional and continental science engagement efforts in response to the pandemic.
“The current pandemic has taken a significant toll on the lives and health of millions of people across the globe,” Qhobela said.
“Strategic partnerships and concerted efforts such as those leveraged here are an essential element of delivery on the mandate of science-granting councils, such as the NRF, to advance, enable, support and promote scientific research and science engagement with the aim to improve the quality of lives of citizens.”
The NRF is supported by the Department of Science and Innovation, Canada’s International Development Research Centre, the Fonds de Recherche du Québec, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development, and United Kingdom Research and Innovation through the Newton Fund.
These are collaborating in this initiative, which has been conceptualised under the auspices of the Science Granting Councils Initiative in sub-Saharan Africa.
Qhobela said funding will be provided to projects that will investigate research areas such as prevention and control, socio-cultural dynamics of transmission and mental health.
