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Dr Parirenyatwa

Ellah Mukwati Herald Reporter
Government has announced a 12-member board for the Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe. Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said Dr Shungu Munyati would chair the board, with Professor Charles Fungai Nhachi deputising. Dr Parirenyatwa said the main function of the council was to approve all medical research. “One of the most important function and duty of the council is to provide all aspects of medical research and to ensure maximum co-ordination between persons or authorities who are undertaking or about to undertake any form of medical research,” he said.

Dr Parirenyatwa said the MRCZ was an important part of the present and future.

“Often the MRCZ is not heard, but they do a lot of work and they are extremely relevant to our times. And with the changing trends in medicine particularly the global health, we need to have a medical research council with appropriate research in the country to do with health,” he said.

“We want the council to be recognised the world over and we want relations to be strengthened. “Therefore, do your work thoroughly. Make sure all the research that you do has relevance to the country.” He also said the board should be able to carry out research on traditional medicine.

“We feel that when we put up a board for medical research, it should be able to cater for the immediate needs, intermediate needs and the future needs of the country in terms of research. “It should have a vision and be involved in researching traditional medicine,” Dr Parirenyatwa said.

Dr Munyati said she hoped to fulfil the mandate of the MRCZ. “I hope that we will be able to continue the good work. The MRCZ has risen in terms of its profile and mandate. “They have been doing their best to fulfil the mandate of MRCZ.”

She said they will strive to raise funding for more research. “The two areas that have been falling short were the area of conducting research for themselves and raising funds.” The other board members are: Prof Jonathan Matenga, Dr Nicholas Munyonga, Mr Tendai Kureya, Dr Susan Mutambu, Mr Archfod Rutanhira, Dr Nyaradzo Mugodhi, Dr Emmanuel Shana, Dr Maxwell Hove, Dr Paul Ndebele and Mr Shepherd Tasara.

The Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe was established in 1974 to provide researchers and institutions with independent ethical oversight.