India Alliance partners RTI International India to set up ‘COVID-19 Catalytic Partnership’

New Delhi: DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance (India Alliance or IA) and RTI International India have joined forces to set up a “COVID-19 Catalytic Partnership” that would propel transformative research and innovations for COVID-19 response and recovery in India.

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown some unique and unprecedented challenges for India. However, the outbreak also offers research opportunities that India can leverage to respond to these challenges now and prepare for the future. The IA-RTI “COVID-19 Catalytic Partnership” would allow researchers based in academia, industry and the social sector in India to take up COVID-19-related research that has an immediate transformative impact and future possibilities.

Potential areas of interest include (but are not limited to) testing, surveillance, contact tracing, medical consultation, delivery of essential health and nutrition services to vulnerable/at-risk communities, strengthening of health systems and supply chains, risk communication and community engagement. In addition, the program would aim to develop strategic engagements with both public and private sector stakeholders for advocacy, policy reform, resource mobilization, among other activities.

“We are excited at partnering RTI International India”, said Dr Shahid Jameel, CEO of India Alliance. “Our complementary strengths will allow us to understand the impact of COVID-19 on health systems and existing programs and to develop innovative solutions for the future”, he added.

Dr Rajiv Tandon, Director (Health), RTI International India, added: “We hope that this partnership fosters exchange and collaboration among the two organizations in gathering relevant, synthesized evidence and insights in a timely and coordinated manner, speaking in a voice that harnesses the power of the collective on issues relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic in India, and adopt a holistic view of interventions and outcomes. This partnership has the potential of helping Indian Health Sector maximize impact across the breadth and depth of programming and develop technology architectures that help build a strong foundation to generate and sustain long-term impact.