Harare (New Ziana)-The Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ) on Sunday called for the first ever research proposals on Covid-19 in a move expected to provide the country with mitigatory strategies on the pandemic.

In a statement, RCZ said expected outcomes of the Covid-19 research include the translation of applicable scientific results into guidelines and policy briefs.

“The Research Council of Zimbabwe is seeking proposals on the novel; Covid-19 for multi-disciplinary research teams that include researchers from beyond our borders.

“The research fund supports heritage-based research, covering areas related to the Covid-19 pandemic including indigenous knowledge and practices applicable to prevention, control, promoting wellness, socio-cultural dynamics of transmission, mental health and vulnerability, informed by the heritage- based health governance and management systems and science engagement,” said the council.

The council said the budget limit for project activities in the collaborative research proposal is ZWL$7 000 for local costs and USD20 000 for external collaboration.

“It is expected that interventions guided by collaborative research results will provide viable solutions that have socio-economic benefits leading to combating and mitigatory strategies which will in the long term control the disruptive effects of Covid-19.

“Expected outcomes are the translation of applicable scientific results into guidelines, policy briefs, goods and services,” said RCZ.

The council said collaborative research must involve researchers who are Zimbabwean nationals and those from Africa and beyond.

New Ziana