Wezi’s GHBN-funded study examines how “sleeper protocols” can strengthen ethical preparedness for implementation and health systems research during health system shocks, including epidemic outbreaks and climate-related disruptions. While such events require research to adapt quickly to changing circumstances, they can also present difficult ethical questions around consent, safeguarding, community vulnerability, and how to maintain ethical standards when decisions need to be made rapidly.

Building on her experience in qualitative and health systems research, Wezi is leading a study that combines a scoping review, in-depth interviews, and stakeholder workshops. The scoping review will map existing approaches to ethical preparedness and identify gaps in how implementation and health systems research responds to crises. In-depth interviews with researchers, ethics committee members, and policymakers in Kenya and Malawi will explore experiences of ethical review and decision-making during health-related emergencies. Workshops in both countries will provide a space for stakeholders, including researchers, ethics committee members, and community engagement practitioners, to reflect on ethical challenges and collaboratively identify practical approaches to addressing them.

The study seeks to generate practical evidence to support researchers, ethics committees, policymakers, and community engagement practitioners in preparing for ethical challenges before they arise. Ultimately, the work will contribute to the development of a contextually relevant ethical preparedness “sleeper protocol” template that can support timely, responsible, and safeguarding-focused research during health system shocks.