The Director, Project Management and Business Development (Africa), Clinique Research Development Ltd, Ms Mutiah Ipaye-Macaulay, says Nigeria still lag behind in clinical research globally in the health sector.
According to her, there is currently a void in clinical trials in the country which needs to be filled.
Ipaye-Macaulay spoke at a one-day Clinical Investigators’ Summit held at Radisson Blue Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, tagged “Nigeria 2020’’ with the theme: “Strategy for Collection of Quality Data/Site Preparedness.’’
“We are here to revolutionise clinical trials in Nigeria and put it on the world map,’’ said Ipaye-Macaulay, an American trained, who boasts of at least 15 years in the field.
“There is no funding backup from the government and even the private sector.
“No infrastructure, no light, no data, no quality assurance and this has made other countries to shun Nigeria,’’ she told Persecondnews on the sideline of the event.
Describing the maiden summit as a pace-setting event in Nigeria, Ipaye-Macaulay promised that the organizers would henceforth host it annually to further create awareness and mobilise stakeholders in the subsector.
She said:“Nigeria is not listed globally in clinical research/trial as there is no awareness, their interest is in criminal and educational investigations but in clinical investigations it is on the low side if you google it.’’
On the benefits of participating in clinical research, Ipaye-Macaulay declared: “Nigerians do, but not Nigeria.’’
In response to the blackout of the media in clinical research in the country, she decried the non-participation or invlovement of the local media in the processes.
“The media is completely left out,’’ the director, who returned to Nigeria from America three years ago, said.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, lauded the organizers for the summit aimed at bringing together stakeholders and their commitment to the national cause.
Abayomi, represented by Dr Hussein AbdulRasaq, the Director in charge of the newly-created Research Unit in the ministry, welcomed all research effort in a coordinated manner that would benefit the state.
He promised the state government’s suport and commitment to clinical research “only for and in Lagos State.’’
“The policy is that the research must be based on priority of Lagosians; we will support it.’’
Persecondnews recalls that Abayomi, a researcher and professor of medicine, was until his apppointment as Commissioner in 2019, was at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos.
His specializations are in research on Cancer, Diabetes and Sickle Cell Anaemia.
