Dr. David Oladele, Deputy Director of Research at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), has called for improved research literacy and increased funding to strengthen clinical trials in Nigeria.
Oladele, who heads the Clinical Trials Unit at NIMR, made the call during the institute’s monthly media chat held on Wednesday in Lagos to highlight some of its ongoing research efforts.
He said clinical trials and research form the cornerstone of any nation’s commitment to advancing health through science, stressing the need to enhance understanding of research among the public and policymakers.
“Clinical trials are vital in assessing the efficacy and safety of drugs, vaccines, and other public health interventions,” he said. “One of the major challenges we face in Nigeria is low research literacy — even some health workers do not fully understand the importance of research.
“Our policymakers also need to improve their research literacy so they can commit more funding to clinical trials and research programmes in the country,” he added.
Oladele noted that NIMR had over the years conducted several clinical trials that have positively impacted public health in Nigeria.
“NIMR was among the centres selected when HIV treatment began in 2002. The institute was tasked with testing the treatment response between generic and branded HIV drugs.
“We were able to prove that generic drugs produced the same response as branded ones, which helped the government adopt generic HIV medications nationwide,” he said.
He also highlighted a microbicide clinical trial conducted between 2004 and 2007 in collaboration with the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, aimed at preventing HIV transmission.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we carried out clinical trials comparing the effectiveness of chloroquine and other treatments. These studies show that clinical trials are not only possible in Nigeria but can also produce quality results,” Oladele said.
He added that NIMR’s adherence to good clinical practices had positioned it as a lead institution for multi-country research collaborations and for training other researchers.
Oladele further disclosed that NIMR is part of the board of the National Clinical Trials Consortium, which supports local drug diagnostics and strengthens partnerships with regulatory agencies to promote clinical trials in the country.
