The National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC), with support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC), has launched an electronic platform to expedite the health research process.
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The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said on Friday in Lagos that the platform will boost the governance of health research and is a major step towards a healthier and more resilient future for all Nigerians. Ta.
He said the NHREC electronic platform is not just a technological tool, but a promise of integrity and accountability in health research.
“In a diverse and dynamic country like Nigeria, health research plays a critical role in understanding and addressing the unique health challenges we face.
“It provides the data needed to inform policy, improve clinical practice, and drive innovation in healthcare delivery.
“The NHREC electronic platform now allows us to further optimize health research in ways that promote equity and protect public health.
“And most importantly, we want to ensure that the people at the center of this research – our patients and our communities – are protected,” he said.
Alausa said the platform provides a seamless and centralized system for ethical review and approval of research proposals.
He stressed that this would ensure that all health research in Nigeria complies with global standards and protects the rights, dignity and safety of participants.
“This platform will not only improve the efficiency of the review process, but also increase transparency, reduce delays, and eliminate redundancies, making our health research environment more robust and more competitive on the global stage. ” he said.
The Minister praised the US CDC’s unwavering support and sponsorship in realizing the vision.
“The U.S. CDC is a true partner in our joint efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s health system, and today’s results demonstrate the profound impact of international cooperation.
“Your expertise, resources and guidance will pave the way for this innovative platform that will further enable Nigeria to uphold the highest standards of health research ethics,” he said.
Alausa noted that the overall success of the platform depends on the continued cooperation of all stakeholders, including researchers, institutions, regulators and international partners.
Similarly, Dr. Adeola Adeyeye, Deputy Scientific Director, US CDC, commended the Federal Ministry of Health for its quick response in making available all documents, thereby expediting the process.
Mr Adeyeye said the development of the NHREC platform in six weeks was a testament to the strong collaboration between development partners, the government and its various sub-national agencies.
He noted that the US CDC Nigeria Office was established in 2001 with the mission of promoting improved public health for Nigerians.
Also, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, said the e-portal would expedite the process of submitting research proposals for ethics committee approval.
Abayomi described this process as ease of doing business in a medical research environment.
He noted that the platform will accelerate Nigeria’s ability to compete globally, drive innovation and technology development, and contribute to the bioeconomy, job creation and GDP growth.
Similarly, the Commissioner of NHREC, Professor Oliver Ezechi, earlier stated that the process of submission of research at NHREC is purely manual.
Ezesi said researchers are sending protocols by email, and many are concerned about intellectual property infringement through the transmission channel.
“Now that we have a secure electronic platform to submit, verify and approve our research, our worries are over,” he said.
NHREC was first established in 2014 and aims to enforce standards and protocols for the ethical conduct of clinical research in Nigeria.
Nan/Umi
