TY - JOUR T1 - Social innovation in health: a critical but overlooked component of the COVID-19 pandemic response JF - BMJ Innovations JO - BMJ Innov SP - 523 LP - 525 DO - 10.1136/bmjinnov-2021-000703 VL - 7 IS - 3 AU - Patricia Moscibrodzki AU - Jingjing Li AU - Rosanna W Peeling AU - Beatrice Halpaap AU - Luis Gabriel Cuervo AU - Magaly M Blas AU - Noel Juban AU - Meredith Labarda AU - Weiming Tang AU - Joseph D Tucker Y1 - 2021/07/01 UR - http://innovations.bmj.com/content/7/3/523.abstract N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly disrupted the provision of health services across the globe. Travel to hospitals is restricted and many health facilities have limited services, deepening financial problems for some clinics and hospitals.1 Vulnerable groups who are already marginalised by their gender, race or nationality have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.2 In response, social innovations have been developed to protect vulnerable groups and rapidly pivot health systems towards COVID-19. Social innovations in health are inclusive solutions that meet the needs of end users through a multistakeholder, community-engaged process to address the healthcare delivery gap.3 Social innovation is particularly well suited for the COVID-19 response because it focuses on local needs, develops low-cost solutions and builds on community strengths (figure 1). In partnership with partner academic institutions, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases launched the Social Innovation in Health Initiative (SIHI) in 2014. SIHI focuses on research, training and advocacy related to social innovation in health. In collaboration with partners, the network organised an online open event to discuss social innovation responses to emergencies.4 This piece highlights how social innovation has contributed to the COVID-19 response and presents three examples of social innovation projects that have adapted to the pandemic. These examples demonstrate how social innovation during COVID-19 has mobilised local communities, swiftly adapted existing health services and built strong partnerships.Figure 1 Characteristics of social innovation that have facilitated its use during the COVID-19 pandemic.COVID-19 responses suggest the importance of local community mobilisation and the flexibility of projects that may already be operating in the field to improve other health outcomes. Mamás Del Río is a community-based maternal and neonatal … ER -