…Urges Govt., well-meaning individuals on investment
Adebayo Adenrele
The College of Medicine in
Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti has declared that low allocation of fund is the major challenge militating against Medical Research outside the country.
This was stated on Wednesday at the 2nd Annual College Week and Scientific conference held in the Institution.
The Provost of the College, Professor James Bamidele, noted that the Country is heavily in poor resource-setting, as the Doctors self-fund their researches outside the country to solve the problems of the state and the country.
In the conference themed: “Conducting Medical Research in Resource-limited settings: Challenges and Opportunities”, Professor Bamidele decried the “nonchalant attitude of government and well-meaning individuals”, who don’t believe in long-term research other than cash-and-carry businesses, while calling on them to invest in Medical Research for the benefit of mankind.
“We need to make our research efforts known not only among the staff and students but Community and outside.
“We need to find out what’s happening in Ekiti State, we are going to make it known , solve them here and publish the ones of standard measure.
“While we are making use of the available resources, we also look up to getting grants, to help us in furthering our research and plan well.
“Whatever challenges we encounter, we will summon them, and gradually we will overcome them.
“You don’t force a tree to grow, you take it step by step, you have to follow the normal standard, you can not cut corners.
“The major problem is funding, and the allocation of the funds. We are heavily in poor resource-setting, we are the ones contributing for our own research.
“Unfortunately in Nigeria, most rich people don’t support and invest in research, they want their money to yield results immediately but it’s not so in research work.”
In his lead Lecture, the Director General, Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, tasked Medical Researchers to see any challenge as an opportunity and constantly develop themselves by employing good mentors.
He charged them not to see international research as an opportunity to “shop and tour the City” but to concentrate on their courses and solve the medical challenges militating against their country.