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

• Published in: Journal of global health Vol. 12; p. 03057
• Main Authors: Fernandes, Genevie, Jackson, Tracy, Kashif, Aaliyan, Rahman, Ahmed Ehsanur, Roy, Ajay Kumar, ASMD, Ashraful Islam, Paul, Biswajit, Agarwal, Dhiraj, Akter, Fahmeda, Muanka, Farishtey, Habib, GM Monsur, Mahmood, Hana, Regi, Harsh, Lubree, Himangi, Nathan, Jayakayatri Jeevajothi, Yusuf, Osman Mohammad, Baig, Ramsha Tariq, Isaac, Rita, Patil, Rutuja, Jabeen, Sabrina, Ahmed, Salahuddin, Islam, Mohammad Shahidul, Juvekar, Sanjay, Williams, Siân
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Edinburgh Edinburgh University Global Health Society 03.09.2022; International Society of Global Health
• Subjects: Capacity development; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Community involvement; COVID-19; Global health; Health care; Health risks; Medical research; Pandemics; Prevention; Public health; Social networks; Viewpoints; Bangladesh; Malaysia; Pakistan; United Kingdom > UK; India
• ISSN: 2047-2978; 2047-2986
• DOI: 10.7189/jogh.12.03057

Community health workers, health care providers and public health managers reported working long hours on COVID-19 with limited time for any engagement and concern about the potential risk of infection by bringing together patient and community groups. Child Health Research Foundation also employed the mid-media route through “pneumonia corners” (informational kiosks) set up outside public health facilities to engage with parents and caregivers of children <5 years on preventive and health care-seeking behaviours. Responding to feedback from patients living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the Bangladesh Primary Care Respiratory Society initially offered advice over telephone calls for continuing their home-based pulmonary rehabilitation by proceeding to small group meetings in their clinic with masking and physical distancing among other prevention measures. Partners also observed increased participation of community health workers and health care providers for training and capacity building, mainly through virtual platforms like Zoom, but also in small group in-person meetings where appropriate.