LAGOS – The President of the Nigerian Academy of Science, Prof. Olawole Tomori, has urged scientists to publish the outcome of their medical research findings so as to stimulate national development.
Tomori told newsmen in Lagos that the bane of Nigeria’s development was the failure of scientists to channel their findings to the relevant authorities for appropriate action.
“Many of us scientists we carry out research and we lock ourselves in the test tube of our research and never tell anybody what we are doing.
“Disseminating this and letting people know is what will show your relevance to your people. Because if you are doing all these things and no one knows about it, then nobody knows your relevance.
“I have always said that one of the errors we as scientists have made in this country is because, we may be a bit too proud, thinking that we are educated, we are researchers, we do not want to talk to those politicians. That is the mistake we have made all these years.
“Go to the University of Ibadan, you will find 5, 000 publications on malaria and our people are still getting malaria.
“So, what happened to all the 5, 000? Unless people know and make use of it for the good of the people, then something is wrong.
“It is important for us to get together with them, the politicians, let them know, let them appreciate what is happening. We are helping our country.
“They own the money, and unless they know what we are telling them, they would never know where to put the money.
“So, we need to work with them, whatever it takes, let them know that there are other areas where they can spend money.“
Meanwhile, a pharmacologist , Prof. Maurice Iwu, said that synergy among medical researchers in public and private sectors would enhance the quality of output in medical research in Nigeria.
Iwu told newsmen in Lagos that lack of collaboration between the public and private sectors contributed to the low impact of research being carried out.
“We lack the culture of research, research has a culture. Scientific research and medical research is like tennis, you play it and somebody has to return that ball.
“ And that is something we are lacking in this country and that tends to lower the impact of research.
“The other issue is the non-involvement, non-engagement of the private sector.
“We have to know what is going on in the public research centres and the only way we can do that is by a direct and deliberate effort to engage.
“If you don’t do that deliberate effort to engage, it limits the whole ability to be able to do functional educational research.
“But it is very important that scientists, as they are doing their research, have to bear these components in mind that there is lack of research culture in the country.
“ And that they will also have to deliberately engage the private sector.
“We have not done that in any sufficient manner.’’