By Ojoma Akor
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has expressed commitment to creating a sustainable, ethical environment for health research in the country.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, conducted the National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC) training workshop in Abuja.
He said, “The ongoing Trial Regulation and Clinical Ethics Optimization (TRACE) project, designed to improve the integrity, safety, and rigour of clinical trials in Nigeria and other participating countries, is a welcome development that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will ensure we build upon to create a sustainable ethical environment for health research in Nigeria.”
He also said that the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to encouraging and funding local research for new drug development, vaccines, and disease epidemiology.
He said that the government is aware that this commitment can deliver optimal benefits to Nigerians and contribute to the global agenda of good health and well-being for all, in an environment of ethical research conduct that protects participants, ensures data integrity, builds public trust, and upholds the credibility of science.
The minister highlighted that research ethics in Nigeria, like in many other African countries, was not receiving the attention it deserved until the establishment of the National Health Research Ethics Committee in 2005 and its formal enablement nine years later by the National Health Act 2014.
He said that the National Health Act empowers the NHREC to oversee ethical approval, provide guidelines for ethical conduct in research, especially when human subjects are involved, and monitor health research to protect participants’ rights, safety, and well-being.
Dr Salako added that since the inauguration of the new NHREC under the chairmanship of Professor Richard Adegbola, the committee has been working very hard to raise the bar for ethical health research by overseeing and ensuring the timely approval of health research proposals nationwide.
He called on NHREC members to redouble their efforts and accelerate the movement towards a fully ethically compliant health research environment in Nigeria, so that “we contribute our quota to the achievement of the health vision of Mr. President as contained in the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
“We recognise the compelling need for domestic ownership of our research agenda and the government’s responsibility to create a conducive and ethical environment. The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will therefore continue to place priority attention and provide all necessary support to NHREC to deliver on its mandate,” he added.
The minister also commended the review process through the revamping of the NHREC website and the creation of an e-portal.
He described it as a major milestone that will enhance data gathering, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, flexibility, stakeholder engagement, and ensure better performance tracking.
He called on researchers, institutions, sub-national health research committees, and international partners to take full advantage of the e-portal to improve the integrity of health research, safeguard the rights, and guarantee the welfare of research participants in our country.
