By Grace Udofia
Nigeria’s Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has disclosed that mega research support fund to four public agencies, led by the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) will be provided for the purpose of producing drugs.
Executive Secretary of TETFund, Suleiman Bogoro, made this known during a virtual meeting on Institutionalisation of R&D in Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Sub Sector Thematic Group.
Bogoro during the event which coincided with the one year anniversary of the establishment of the TETFund Research and Development Standing Committee (RDSC) did not provide details of the identity and specific research activities the other agencies are expected to undertake.
He noted that the NIPRD will collaborate with the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan, to carry out research and production of phytomedicine.
He said, “TETFund will be providing mega research support to some agencies; in a matter of days, maximum one or two weeks thereabouts, who knows even before the end of this week, I may be sitting with about four entities that have been identified.
“And I am happy to mention here that NIPRD will be leading the mega research thrust in respect of drug development and I intend to request that they work with one or two entities.
“I cannot remember to the best of my recollection, at anytime in our country, where the issue of institutionalisation of R&D, the triple helix concept, the deepening of research, the emphasis on problem solving research, rather than status acquiring research, has become the topic in almost every engagement, private and public.
“That is exactly what it was intended and I took note of the very well placed acknowledgement of all of you, the leadership and members of RDSC and the great patriotic contributions.
“We should be proud of what we are doing for our nation. May we remain focused. The patriotic resolve of all members has been the secret of the success of RDSC.
“At a time that Covid-19 has ravaged the world, we are turning to the experts, the pharmaceutical scientists have significant and central role to play”.
