By Umoja Standard Reporter.
Kampala, Uganda: In a Research lecture by Professor Erisa Mwaka held at Mulago College of Health Sciences, Makerere University says there are great concerns for effective research including the right of the donor to have confidentiality and privacy of the results from the conducted research.
According to Prof. Mwaka donors have a right to withdraw from the research conducted and there is international law as that gives the donor to terminate the research though 50% of researchers agree fully with this since many researchers are only interested in and need an open check research where they can use it for whatever they need.
However, there are some limitations for effective research where donors have poor understanding of the agreement and at times some researchers can’t explain to the satisfaction of the donor, some researches are risky like the genetic research where by it can even cause psychological effects to the donor and the family.
Group photo of officials during dissemination workshop
No direct translation of research language to local people as this limit local from understanding the complex information about research, some communities have different beliefs as others can’t donate in thinking that may be bewitched mistrust of foreign researchers as some come to carry out research and may have a different intention and some researchers tend to make money out of the research yet the donor was not paid and even others tend to violate the rights of the donor.
Amidst all challenges Prof. Mwaka says research is greatly beneficial to both sides of researchers and donors in that in case one understands the disease early can go for treatment and at times the community at large.
For effective research prof. Mwaka says there is need to engage the community to educate them on the reasons for the research and its benefits, open up a research dictionary in local languages where local people can easily understand, use local media to teach community.
Confidentiality to the donor as he or she is granted the right on either will be disclosed or not as some donors don’t need to disclose this information to relatives and community
Provide professional counselling and train researchers.
Prof. Mwaka recommended the government to make policies to protect them as researchers and even set more confidential rules, community engagement where by community members have to donate in case there is research being done as this may have a positive effect on the community,
There is need to develop a research dictionary where all scientific and research terms can easily be understood by the local community
Respecting the cultural beliefs as in some cultures do not accept and have negative beliefs on certain research.