NIMR laments zero allocation for 2015 capital projects

Seeks implementation of National Health Act 

Paucity of funds that is rocking major institutions in the country appears to have taken a crippling form at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) — the foremost research institution in the country.   A glance at the state of infrastructure within the Yaba (Lagos) premises of the institute revealed several dilapidated structures, even as some projects had been abandoned halfway.

According to the management, the institute has not received a dime for capital expenditure from the Federal Government this year. And to raise capacity of researchers and avail some equipment, NIMR is currently on self-help – going cap in hand to solicit public support.

This was evident at a recent symposium to commemorate fifth year anniversary of Prof. Innocent Ujah as the Director General of the institute.   With the help of local and international partners, the institute is today proud of a Biomedical Training and Cancer Research Centre, due for commissioning in September.

But where the support is not forthcoming, like the case of providing the institute a modern library, the projects are abandoned. (On this page is picture of the NIMR library abandoned since last year).

The DG noted that the institute had in fact had perennial shortages in capital allocation over the years. A fact sheet revealed that out of the N90million budgeted for capital expenditure in 2010 only N29million was released.

The budget was N298million in 2011, of which the institute got N95million. This year, it was N85million budget and midway into the year, none has been released.    Investigation by The Guardian revealed that NIMR might not be alone in the miserly regime. What holds for NIMR holds for other parastatals and agencies of the Federal Ministry of Health like the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and National AIDS Control Agency (NACA) among others.

NIMR is the health research institute established by the Act of 1972 to conduct research into diseases of public health importance in Nigeria and develop structures for the dissemination of research findings, while providing the enabling environment and facilities for health research and training.

Notwithstanding the gradual crippling effect vis-a-vis poor funding, Ujah noted that NIMR had recently shown how critical it is in the case management and emergency response to the Ebola outbreak of 2014. But a lot more, including a possible cure for the disease could have been achieved if government had been committed to research over the years.   He recalled that the epidemic, brought into Nigeria by US-born Liberian Patrick Sawyer, was an opportunity for Nigeria to upgrade her foremost research institute for contemporary relevance.

It is today recounted as a missed opportunity.   “On our part,” Ujah said, “we wrote position papers and sent them to appropriate authorities but up till today, nobody has asked of its content.”

“This is what we mean by missed opportunity. We think that our laboratory, of Bio-safety Level 3, should have been upgraded to Level 4 to help us deal with live viruses, because we don’t want anyone to die in the process of doing research. We have missed that opportunity, and we don’t know if Ebola will come again, though we don’t pray for such but we have to prepare,” he said.

He added that the country lack sufficient capacity for research generally and not only in NIMR. For NIMR though, “our location is a major disadvantage.”    “We are supposed to be in Abuja by now and close to the seat of government. Anything that involves government is in Abuja.

If you are in Lagos and think government (Federal) can hear you, then you are wasting your time.”  Relaying the track record of institutional poor funding, Ujah said: “The funding was abysmally poor before I came in but from 2011, the budget has increased to about N298million but the release was N95million.

So, when they say NIMR gets only N95million, it is not only us but also everywhere. We are saying that it should not be a cut-across reduction. If you have N1billion budget and it is reduced by 40 per cent, then there is still a lot left. But if it just N100million that is reduced by 40 per cent, then almost nothing is left.

The reduction is just too mathematical, I must say.   “We did well in 2013; it went to about N470 million out of which about N90million was released. Nothing has changed. This year, nothing has been released and we are in July.

I can tell you that the money for capital was N50million. Whether it will come or not, I don’t know.    “It is not for lack of trying. We tried in 2013 and we got something. This is the stark reality; if you want breakthrough, then you must invest in research. But we are fond of wanting to reap where we don’t sow.”

He added that the researchers were, however, taking consolation in the new administration and the National Health Act, to give them a change in fortune.

Besides the Health Act availing universal health coverage for all Nigerians, it also promises funding for all health institutions, which includes the research institutes.

Sharing his optimism, Ujah said: “We are hopeful that funding for health research that will inform policies, will improve, especially now that we are in the season of change. We hope for positive changes so that NIMR will be able to carry out more researches and also make breakthrough in medical researches.   “As we speak, the funding is shamefully small, but health research is very expensive.

You must deliberately invest in research if you want to make breakthrough. The National Institute of Health in the US and MRC of England are heavily invested in.    “We believe that the Federal Government and private sector will do the same. Research, whether it is health, engineering or agriculture, thrives development. Nigeria has the capacity and with political will, we can support researches to boost our development drive,” he said.

Guest speaker at the symposium, Dr. Mohammed Lecky, on his part, urged the researchers to exercise a cautious optimism, saying very little would be achieved without deliberate effort to implement the Act’s provisions.

Lecky, who is the Executive Director, Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERFON), said that the provisions were as vital to universal health coverage as they are to funding groundbreaking medical researches.

The National Health Act represents the first statutory and comprehensive law in Nigeria that serves as a framework for the regulation, development and management of a national health system and also set standard for rendering health services in Nigeria.

Lecky reckoned that the Act is “a unifying legislation, coherent, clear and an unambiguous most powerful piece of legislation that is aimed at social equity and justice.”   “We should have good reasons to expect great things on account of the National Health Act in years ahead. But can we rise to the collective challenge?” he posed.