key: cord-1052591-2vmpwo2i authors: Ghosh, Abhishek title: COVID‐19 pandemic and an early career mental health researcher from a low and middle income country: Is there any light at the end of the tunnel? date: 2020-09-19 journal: Asia Pac Psychiatry DOI: 10.1111/appy.12424 sha: 0aadea95257e002fe37cad30ed3fae1b71c557ff doc_id: 1052591 cord_uid: 2vmpwo2i nan The Science magazine recently reported an epidemic of publications on COVID-19, with nearly 23 000 papers published in the last few months (Brainard, 2020) . However, this spate of publications should not be construed as a honeymoon period for medical research. An editorial in the Nature Medicine elucidated the challenges for continuing research and sustaining a research career during these difficult times (Ghebreyesus, 2020) . I, being an early career mental health researcher from a developing country, would like to ponder on the ramifications of the pandemic on medical research in general and mental health research in particular. The Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Angel Gurría, writes "pandemic brings with it the third and greatest economic, financial and social shock of the 21st Century, after 9/11 and the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 (Gurría, 2020) ." The United Nation's Development Program (UNDP) predicts a disproportionate impact of the economic crisis in the low and middle income countries with little access to social protection. Not surprisingly, the national governments of these affected countries first would try to ensure basic food security and nutrition. With the existing poor infrastructure and limited healthcare capacity, the available health budget is likely to be siphoned for upgrading clinical care and research in COVID-19 (Walker et al., 2020) . Non-COVID-19 healthcare and research is starting to be hit hard. Besides, there is evidence to suggest governments take austerity measures (reducing public expenditure) to deal with financial crises and, under such circumstances, healthcare and healthcare research are one of the worst affected areas (Simou & Koutsogeorgou, 2014) . Among the healthcare areas, mental healthcare and research get a very low priority. According to the WHO Mental Health Atlas (2018) Researchers, earlier in their career, encounter challenges ranging from lack of meaningful mentorship to a pressure to publish (Richards et al., 2019) . However, limited funding opportunity has been a more specific problem, experienced by a large majority of early career researchers (ECRs) from low and middle-income countries, where senior scholars have preferential access to the available funds (Salihu Shinkafi, 2020) . The access to private funding, too, is restricted to non-existent and the cut-throat competition for international funding does not inspire confidence either. During and after the pandemic, the situation is likely to worsen. But funding is not the only concern. Wet labs have been largely closed for indefinite periods and clinical research has been plagued with concerns of undue exposure to participants and researchers. The scenario could be worse for countries with limited access to personal protective equipment. The effects on the ECR and those aspiring to pursue a research career would be detrimental. So, is there something, which could be done to prevent such an undesirable outcome? 3 | THE WAY FORWARD I would like to suggest a multi-pronged approach. Firstly, we need a strong advocacy for mental health. Advocacy could be more effective Scientists are drowning in COVID-19 papers. Can new tools keep them afloat? Science The mental health consequences of COVID-19 and physical distancing: The need for prevention and early intervention Safeguard research in the time of COVID-19 The 2008 global financial crisis: Effects on mental health and suicide Coronavirus (Covid-19): Joint actions to win the war Positioning for success: Building capacity in academic competencies for early-career researchers in sub-Saharan Africa Challenges facing early-career and mid-career researchers: Potential solutions to safeguard the future of evidence-based medicine Challenges experienced by early career researchers in Africa Effects of the economic crisis on health and healthcare in Greece in the literature from 2009 to 2013: A systematic review The impact of COVID-19 and strategies for mitigation and suppression in low-and middle-income countries