Kayode Olanrewaju 
- Govt not investing much in research presently –Commissioner
- Research as bedrock of national development, growth –Stakeholders
RESEARCH
Researchers, biomedical professionals and other scholars gathered last week at Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos to refocus and strengthen research that will appeal to national health needs and development
Focus
Research scholars, biomedical professionals and other medical experts for three days penultimate week converged on the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos to deliberate on how refocus, deepen and realign research that would leapfrog the delivery and mitigate medical challenges in Nigeria, and Africa by extension.
The conference was tagged: “The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research International Conference on Health Advances, Innovation and Research (NIMR-ICHAIR) 2024 – An International Gathering of Biomedical Professionals.”
The major focus of the three-day forum, which served as a veritable platform for science researchers and medical scholars, postgraduate students, academic scientists, professionals in the medical/ health sector, policymakers and top government functionaries, was primarily to deliberate, network, exchange ideas, share thoughts and experiences, compare notes, and research findings on different aspects of medical, health, and basic science research related to medical and public health.
Mandate
Established as the foremost and oldest organization for research in Nigeria, NIMR is set up to conduct research into diseases of public health importance in the country and develop structures for the dissemination of research findings.
Part of its mission is to also provide the enabling environment and facilities for health research and training in cooperation with the federal and state ministries of health and in collaboration with universities, allied institutions and organised private sector nationally and internationally.
Under the enabling Act, NIMR’s mandate stipulates that it shall conduct research into health problems in the country, essentially in the areas of communicable diseases of public importance; and non-communicable diseases prevalent in the country.
Part of the mandates include basic, applied and operational research for the prevention and control of diseases endemic in the country in cooperation with the ministry of health at the federal and state levels.
Similarly, NIMR is charged to develop human and infrastructural capacities for clinical and biomedical research in collaboration with medical schools, universities and other health-related institutions within and outside the country.
Conference
For the three days participants engaged in several plenary sessions that include symposium on Mpox: Outbreak and Management in Nigeria Landscape; HIV in Children and Adolescents: Winning the Battle Against a Formidable Foe; Skill Building Workshop; Concurrent Oral Abstracts Sessions; Role of Pathology on Research for Emerging Infectious Diseases; Biomedical Innovations; and Clinical Science & Social Behaviour Science, among others.
Any government or country that fails to appreciate the importance of research is planning to fail as an entity
Participants at the conference were the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa; Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi; Prof Akin Osibogun from College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL); Prof Israel Agaku; Director-General/CEO of NIMR, Prof Oladapo Obafunwa; Prof Tadaki Suzuki from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA); Dr A. Z Musa, Chairman of Conference Organising Committee; Dr Abideen Salako, Chair, Scientific Sub Committee of the institute; Prof Stella Smith; and Dr Aina Oluwagbemiga.
Others are Dr Agomo, Prof Bolajoko Aina both of University of Lagos; Dr Evaezi Okpokoro from Institute of Human Virology; Dr Oluwafemi Daud from UNILORIN; and Prof KS Oyedeji from UNILAG; Mrs Josephine Ogbazi from Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC); among other scholars and researchers from Nigerian universities and research institutes.
Welcoming participants to the conference, the 14th in its series, the Director-General/CEO of NIMR, Prof Oladapo Obafunwa, stated that the annual scientific conference brings together biomedical professionals, stakeholders, academic and upcoming researchers to share their research findings, ideas and experiences, network, learn and to celebrate the advances in biomedical research birthed through cutting-edge research for the advancement of global health.
However, he expressed optimism that this year’s conference, coming up under his watch after his appointment a few months ago, would be a platform for evidence-based policy decisions to strengthen health systems, foster health security, and facilitate exchange of innovative research ideas for national and regional health advancement.
Obafunwa, who recalled that apart from the challenges of climate change consequences, and other natural disasters on national and regional health, noted that global health is currently increasingly threatened by evolving public health issues.
These, he listed to include weakened healthcare systems, outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, reluctance to receive vaccines such as HPV vaccine; the evolving burden of antimicrobial resistance, food safety and malnutrition, non communicable diseases, mental health and substance abuse, environmental pollution, and others, which are awaiting multidisciplinary research efforts, investment and collaboration.
According to him, the three-day conference would delve into the latest advancements and innovations in public health as various oral presentations, poster sessions and symposium had been lined up.
The Director-General, therefore, stated that NIMR would continue to uphold its core mandate through research into health challenges that translate into policy and contribute positively to changing the narratives of the public health landscape in the country, region and globally.
“In furtherance to our achievements and contributions to national health development in Nigeria, NIMR has continued to break new grounds through strategic health research inventions, innovation, collaborations and community engagements,” he stressed.
While taking a cursory look at the current national economic challenges, Obafunwa pointed out that it calls for the promotion of local contents discouraging importation to improve national health and well-being.
The Director-General, however, reeled out some of the significant contributions and achievements of NIMR, which according to him, include the development of Diagnostic Test Kits for infectious diseases of national importance such as Mpox and COVID-19; and the LASSA fever vaccine that is absolutely developed on Nigerian soil by Nigerian scientists, which currently is at the completion stage.
He added: “Recently, NIMR in collaboration with NMEP and Gombe State University, discovered a new malaria vector – Anopheles Stephenis in Gombe. This was the first in West Africa. The discovery of this species has changed the Nigerian vector control space with urgent policy decisions on outdoor vector control.
“We will continue to keep our word about making the workplace better for our bright and hardworking researchers by building cutting-edge laboratories that work.
Some of these include NIMR Biobank, the Malaria Molecular laboratory, the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Diagnostic laboratory, and ongoing support for developing diagnostic kits for Nigeria’s most important public health diseases.”
As part of the contributions to the health sector, Obafunwa further hinted that NIMR has continued to improve the frontiers of collaboration with public and private institutions in and beyond Nigeria, which include the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Japanese Government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), as well as the Australian and Canadian governments partnering and working with the institute towards combating the threats to health and wellness.
In Nigeria, the NIMR is collaborating with the National Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP), the National AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, and STDs Control (NASCP), and the Federal Ministry of Health to build a strong health base for the country.
Towards achieving the objective of providing standard healthy society, Obafunwa sought more investment in medical research, saying all hands must be on deck to collectively deliver a society where the full benefits of health research translates into improved health.
Hence, the Director-General said the conference is another opportunity to generate new ideas that will be fruitful seed for “a world of transformative health for all through effective evidence-based, cutting-edge research and innovation.” Obafunwa spoke of the need to see more of this conference and collaboration on research on medical and health issues peculiar to our environment.
Stakeholders
Meanwhile, Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, lauded the institute for organising the annual conference, saying researchers and other stakeholders had once again to deliberate, learn, celebrate, reminisce, and reflect on the latest advancements and innovations in health and research through the different activities, which includes the pre-conference, oral and poster presentations, keynote speakers, and symposium.
Therefore, he urged participants to go home with a renewed determination to increase their zeal in improving the health of the people and conducting research that addresses the nation’s local health needs.
“I am indeed confident that this year’s meeting would be a platform for evidence-based policy decisions to strengthen health systems, foster health security, and facilitate exchange of innovative research ideas for national and regional health advancement,” the Minister added.
He expressed gratitude to the sponsors and supporters of the conference, who include Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation, JICA, SOLINA, Chisquare Inc. and Beloxxi Industries Limited, among others, lauding them for their continuous support over the years in building a world-class institution where science and innovation thrive to improve health.
The Minister pledged the support of the government to the institute, and tasked the management to always come up with cutting-edge research findings that address the health challenges and needs of the country.
The Chairman of the conference, Prof Akin Abayomi, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, while declaring open the conference, described the gathering as a compendium of professionals and researchers for knowledge discovery in the country.
He lauded NIMR, which he also described as the highest citadel in knowledge discovery in health and medical research, adding that the yearly conference is a demonstration that Nigeria under the right circumstance, encouragement and resources, could be a purveyor of quality research.
The Commissioner, who also represented Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said without research there cannot be development, even as he reiterated that NIMR is an engine room to contribute to medical research and global health knowledge and development.
Abayomi, however, stated that Lagos State was lucky to have a coterie of medical researchers and research institutions such as NIMR, LUTH, CMUL, LASUCOM, among others in the state, adding that the time has come for NIMR, Lagos and Federal Government to synergise in order to mend ways in the area of medical research, as a bastion of a robust health agenda for the state and federal health development.
Against this backdrop, the Commissioner, therefore, pledged his readiness to strengthen the ties between Lagos State government and NIMR, stating that the institute is the highest level of medical research in Nigeria.
Abayomi, who said the Nigerian government is not investing much in research at present, but said it would get better as the Federal Government and the Minister of Health is already pushing more funds into the sector, explained further that the government is trying to be careful not to put all its funds into one basket, considering its multiple priorities.
“As income and internally generated revenue of the government improves, the government is prepared and determined to put more funds into research, having seen the need to inject resources into local research to produce local solutions to our local medical and health needs,” he said.
According to the Commissioner, any government or country that fails to appreciate the importance of research is planning to fail as an entity, as research stands as the bedrock of national development.
This is even as he added that research in all sectors be it agriculture, engineering, social science, science, among others, are critical and key for a country or government that is planning to develop and to make life more comfortable for its citizens.
Abayomi, therefore, asked participants that the country needs research that will have a significant impact on the people, and as such would engage and intervene in people’s needs. In his keynote address, titled:
“Challenges and Prospects of Medical Research in Nigeria,” Prof Akin Osibogun, described the conference as a function of a well-informed organisation such as NIMR, adding that it offers opportunity for researchers and biomedical professionals to share knowledge and interrogate the various presentations and research findings.
As researchers, he said they should re-convince and commit themselves to the work of research as priority and rationale to come out with solutions to national health problems.
Osibogun’s paper looked at various methodologies researchers use in research, and how to leverage on existing data to derive information, as they make use of research or product of research to improve the frontiers of knowledge.
He, however, spoke on ethical issues in research, saying research is not cheap as it requires huge funds, resources and investment. Thus, he called for more sponsorship drive and adequate funding of NIMR to conduct cutting-edge research, saying research should not be kept on shelve, but to be applied appropriately.
Insight
Giving more insight into the conference focus, the Chairperson of the Conference Organising Committee, Dr Musa, said with over 200 participants from within and outside the country at the conference, there are 124 oral presentations and 33 poster presentations.
The thematic areas of the conference range from basic Science, Biomedical and Innovation, Clinical Sciences, One Health, Oral Health, Public Health and Social Behaviour Sciences, while the selected topics provide a wealth of information and wide opportunity for robust discourse.
She noted that a total of 31 scholars were fully sponsored by JICA to the conference this year, based on collaboration between the international organisation and NIMR, saying the various activities of the conference would bridge the gap between professionals, non-governmental organisations, and the public.
Dr Musa, who explained that “as the country continues to build on the learnings from biomedical research as a fulcrum to the growth and development of the nation,” however said:
“We must not relent on our current success, rather we should continue to probe and proffer solutions through evidencebased, cutting-edge research and adaptable innovation to promote the health and well-being of our citizens and global landscape.”
This, she explained further entails strengthening existing collaboration and building new frontiers within and outside the country; both South-South and North-South collaboration among diverse fields of biomedical science.
“Besides, we also need to solidify our base by fostering positive relationships with non-governmental in-country and international agencies and to continue to appeal to the government and legislature to ensure better funding and support to promote the research ecosphere,” she stated.
The conference, according to her, would continue to be a meeting point for cross-fertilization of ideas, experiences and discussion, as well as opportunity for novel innovations and outcomes that could transform our nation to higher heights.
