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Developed in collaboration with Public Health Information, Surveillance Solutions and Systems (PHIS3) as a technical partner, the electronic portal and accompanying website received support from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During the launch, the Minister emphasized that the portal would promote efficiency, transparency, and accountability within the nation’s health research framework.
Alausa referred to the initiative as a “remarkable milestone” and praised the collaborators for their contributions to the platform's development. He noted that the electronic system represents more than just a technological advancement; it signifies a commitment to integrity and accountability in health research.
The platform is designed to align with global standards, prioritizing the protection of participants’ rights, dignity, and safety. It aims to centralize and simplify the submission process for research proposals, thereby reducing delays and eliminating redundancies.
Furthermore, the Minister stated that this innovation would bolster Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global health research landscape, facilitating data-driven innovation and advancements in clinical practice.
The Associate Director of Science at the U.S. CDC, Dr. Adeola Adeyeye, praised the rapid development of the new platform, which was completed in just six weeks. She highlighted the effective collaboration between the Nigerian government and its international partners. Dr. Adeyeye emphasized that this platform would greatly reduce approval timelines, thereby enhancing both local and international research collaborations.
The launch of this initiative builds upon the achievements of the National Strategic Meeting on Health Research Development and Innovation that took place earlier this year, reinforcing the government's dedication to advancing healthcare through research. Previously, researchers submitted their protocols to the NHREC through a manual process, which led to inefficiencies, delays, and a lack of transparency regarding the status of their submissions.
The introduction of the e-portal aims to resolve these challenges by minimizing paper usage and streamlining the processes for protocol submission, review, and approval.
Lagos State’s Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, who supported the initiative, remarked that it would simplify medical research to the level of running a business. He noted that the platform is designed to safeguard participants' rights and intellectual property while expediting the process for researchers.
Daro Onimode, Project Director at PHIS3, outlined the advantages of the platform, recalling the cumbersome experience researchers faced when transporting numerous paper documents for approvals.
He pointed out that for those in remote areas, the previous system was particularly challenging. Now, with everything digitized, researchers can simply complete the required fields, submit their proposals, and have them automatically forwarded to reviewers.
He cited the example of researchers in Maiduguri, who previously had to send their documents to Lagos for approval but can now complete the process online in real-time.
In response to audience inquiries, NHREC member Professor Oliver Ezechi clarified that the portal is specifically designed for researchers.
He expressed that traditional methods of operation posed security risks, emphasizing that the new platform would enhance processes and ensure safer research outcomes.
"Previously, the submission process at NHREC was entirely manual, relying on email, which is inherently insecure. When protocols are submitted, they are exposed to potential breaches. Many of us have concerns about using services like Yahoo Mail for protocol submissions due to the risk to our intellectual property. However, those concerns have been alleviated with the introduction of a secure electronic platform."