42 Locally Hired Staff for Clinical Research Sites in Low-Resource Settings

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter provides insight on identifying, hiring, and training staff to conduct clinical research during an emergency response to infectious disease outbreaks in resource-limited settings. The authors illustrate human resourcing strategies employed and describe their experiences establishing local human resource capacity to support and conduct clinical trials during the Ebola outbreaks in West Africa (2014–2016) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2018–2020).It is very likely that future emergency research responders will face similar challenges, even in quite distinct situations. The lessons presented here should help to establish an adaptable framework for future emergency responses that emphasizes team communication, collaboration, partnership, and mutual respect. In particular, this chapter offers insights into the following: Contracting and legal requirements Timing of activities Key positions that should be filled to ensure study success Strategies for legally and ethically hiring local staff while also incorporating international staff and volunteers Training methods to ensure staff are adequately prepared for study implementation and participant safety Requirements for respectful and mutually beneficial collaboration with local stakeholders while contributing to the outbreak response through clinical research