The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, says, it will resuscitate its outstations in some parts of the country to expand research activities on public health issues.
It also plans to deploy some senior researchers to those facilities and make them fully functional according to the institute’s mandate.
The outstations which are in Kainji in Niger State, Maiduguri, and Asaba, Delta State are currently dormant, apart from that of Delta where some collaborative work is being done with support from the State Ministry of Health.
To achieve this, NIMR wants the government to prioritize funding for research to help address internal health challenges and improve people’s quality of life.
The Director-General of NIMR, Professor Oladapo Obafunwa who made the call during a media chat in Lagos, explained that 95 percent of research works carried out by the institute were funded by foreign donors, thereby limiting its scope of research.
“We have the facility to explore these things, NIMR is that expert at the background that people don’t see, we hope that a forum like this will help us to get across, to not just the average man on the street, but also legislators, “A lot is said about chronic renal diseases and renal failure with dialysis, kidney transplant in the country, we need to find out if there is anything in our water and food that we need to revisit to know and the genetic predispositions to chronic renal diseases”. he explained
The DG who also sent an SOS to the federal government to come to its aid as the Institute is facing difficulties posed by the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, stated that, EKDC has failed to provide a meter or repair damaged panels despite repeated requests but rather, sending heavy bills to the Institute.
“The problem NIMR has is with the Eko electricity distribution company, ” When you hear statements like, ‘we will shut you down, we will disconnect you,’ you will start wondering, is it that people don’t understand what it means? NIMR has no meter up till now. Letters have been written four times asking for the so-called damaged panel to be repaired but nothing has happened,” Prof. Obafunwa explained.
To mitigate this issue, he said NIMR is exploring alternative energy sources, including solar power. Prof. Obafunwa thanked one of the institute’s principal investigators who has sourced funds to install inverters with solar panels.
Professor Obafunwa who said, NIMR has the facility and human capacity to handle some of the health challenges and proffer solutions said, it is also ready to investigate the Human Metapneumo Virus, HMPV, but reassured Nigerians that so far, no outbreak has been reported.
The Director of Research, Professor Stella Smith who gave reasons for the Malaria resistance strain currently being experienced in the country to include, improper diagnosis and non-adherence to drug prescriptions, advised members of the public to present cases early, complete their medication and follow up cases to get the desired results.
“This is why the government and legislators need to approve more funding for local research, focusing on pressing health issues such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and other non – communicable diseases.
Professor Smith said, ” We need to recalibrate and focus a lot more on issues about our health conditions “.