KISII, Kenya, Jun 24 – Scientists and researchers in Africa have been tasked to ground the transformative power of research, equity representation and local leadership in the continent.
Speaking at the Africa evidence summit, Ambassador and special envoy of the East Africa Community Facilitator on DRC Macharia Kamau said evidence drives issues such as health education, climate change and peace in the continent.
“Voices and knowledge of hundreds of millions of people especially in Africa remain sidelined or under-represented. Evidence is more than numbers and just more than a spreadsheet,” said Ambassador Kamau.
Kamau emphasized the need for evidence-based research as a language of transformation and a need to reflect the voices of all people especially those who are historically silenced.
Kamau noted that Africa is the most genetically diversified continent, and this is a scientific imperative, and genetic diversity affects how diseases manifest and how medication is metaphoric and how treatment regime should be designed and despite all this less than two percent of global clinical trials participants are from African ancestry.
“This lack of representation undermines the quality, safety and relevance of medical research for Africa and the world,” said ambassador Kamau.
Kamau mentioned reports from a researcher on some drugs used for treatment of certain diseases which undermines African populations by using data that does not reflect on their biology, their lived experience or their health ecosystems, which he said is a scientific failure.
“This weakens clinical care and erodes public trust in health systems and perpetuates inequality of outcomes, this marginalization limits understanding of the global health challenges,” he added.
Kamau questioned how science claims to be universal when it leaves out other people, he asked Africa to support its scientists, institutions and health systems to lead the research process from framing the question to publishing the findings and implementing the results.
He noted research by African for Africans and partnership with the world is not a slogan is a necessity.
