Building Local Research Capacity for Global Pandemic Preparedness: Lessons from WHO Unity Studies and Their Expansion in India

The rapid onset and progression of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical necessity for standardized, timely epidemiological investigations to generate actionable evidence for public health policy. The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) and Unity Studies and Investigations initiative (Unity Studies) provides the standardized framework to address these critical knowledge gaps. This manuscript reflects upon the Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (HIMSR)'s experience as an active site implementing three WHO Unity protocols between 2020 and 2021. We synthesize key findings from the Household Transmission Investigation (HHTI) and the Health Facility Transmission (HCW cohort) studies, detail the operational and analytical complexities addressed through intensive collaboration with WHO HQ, South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO), and WHO India, and outline the subsequent institutional capacity transmission. Building directly on this established expertise, HIMSR has been designated as the dedicated Nodal network site for the WHO SEAR Unity Studies Network in India, coordinating administration activities of a vast network of national institutes for ongoing pandemic preparedness. This trajectory demonstrates the potential for low- and middle-income country (LMIC) institutions not only to contribute critical evidence during crises but also to transition into resilient national and regional research and surveillance platforms for future pan-respiratory pathogen threats. We detail the essential findings and operational lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic response and elaborate extensively on the strategic implementation plan for the proposed WHO Unity Nodal Network site in India, emphasizing capacity building, standardization, and the integration of research into public health policy.