By Halson Kagure
Mbarara, (UG)- The Management of Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) is poised to launch its own Institutional Review Board (IRB) aimed at overseeing medical research involving human subjects at the government facility.
Currently, MRRH researchers rely on Mbarara University of Science and Technology’s (MUST) IRB, incurring around 50 US Dollar clearance certificate fee.
Even after, researchers have to submit their proposals to the Hospital Research and Scientific Committee for scientific merit review and approval.
During the fifth plenary meeting in the hospital boardroom, the hospital board chair, Dr. James Mugume, endorsed the IRB’s establishment of an independent IRB.
Dr. Deus Twesigye, acting director, highlighted the benefits of an IRB, citing vibrant medical professionals and potential revenue generation. He further stressed the significance of IRB reinforcing the hospital’s excellence vision, as research and clinical management are inseparable.
Medics welcomed the initiative, highlighting its potential to attract grants, improve research oversight, and enhance patient safety. Dr. Robert Wagubi, head of clinical laboratories, noted that the IRB will enable the hospital to approve various research types.
Dr. Joseph Opendi, dental clinic head, believes a reasonable research staff number, coupled with the IRB, will expedite approvals and encourage research.
Nicholas Nuwashaba, a medical laboratory scientific officer, sees the IRB as a chance to strengthen ethical research oversight, ensuring patient safety and improving clinical and biomedical study quality.
To establish the IRB, MRRH will submit a research ethics committee (REC) application to the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) for review and final approval.
The hospital’s administration has been urged to expedite the process, with Dr. Mugume applauding the management’s efforts while calling for cooperation. Despite the achievements, the hospital chairman was perturbed by the delays in the Emergency Call and Dispatch Center’s construction, valued at 2.8 billion shillings.
Francis Mugisha, head of accounts and finance, emphasized the need for innovative funding solutions to revamp infrastructure, citing increasing patient numbers and dilapidated structures.
Dr. Twesigye pledged to follow up on the concerned construction projects, noting the Oxygen Plant and Regional Incinerator completion. The oxygen plant has enabled the hospital to generate its own oxygen and reduce reliance on external supplies as experienced at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, enhancing patient care among patients in need of oxygen therapy.
Meanwhile, the regional incinerator is set to provide a safe and efficient means of disposing of hazardous medical waste, mitigating environmental and health risks.
About the Author; Halson Kagure is the Communications Specialist and Public Relations Officer at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Mbarara University of Science and Technology and other medical schools
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