News and Stories

Bruyère Innovation Advisor receives rapid-response CIHR funding for COVID-19

03/06/2020

 

• Dr. Kumanan Wilson has received CIHR funding for COVID-19

• He and his team will be evaluating Canada’s preparedness and response to the COVID-19 outbreak, and how well Canada has complied with the International Health Regulations.

• The study will be situated at the WHO Centre for Knowledge Translation and Health Equity at Bruyère Health Research Institute.

 

Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Bruyère’s Innovation Advisor, has received rapid-response funding from the CIHR. His project will evaluate Canada’s preparedness and response to the COVID-19 virus. In particular, he wants to know how well Canada has complied with the International Health Regulations.

These Regulations represent an agreement between 196 countries to work together on global health security. The regulations were developed based on the European response to cholera in the 19th century, but were expanded and updated in 2005 in response to SARS. The signatories have agreed to build their capacity to detect, assess, and report on public health events.

1. Preparedness for pandemics such as COVID-19
2. Response to the COVID-19 outbreak specifically
3. How Canada can support the response to public health emergencies of global concern

This project will provide guidance to Canadian and international health authorities to optimize the response to public health emergencies and strengthen the International Health Regulations. It will also identify opportunities for Canada to assist and lead in global health security efforts.

Dr. Kumanan Wilson is the Innovation Advisor at Bruyère, a researcher at The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, and a professor at the University of Ottawa. This project is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Read the University of Ottawa’s Q&A with Dr. Wilson.

To request an interview with Dr. Wilson, please contact:

 

Eric Dicaire

Communications Coordinator