HEALTH AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT

MANDATES OF HEALTH AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT

  • Initiate, develop and review Policies on health and biomedical technologies;
  • Promoting inventions and innovations in health, biomedical technologies that address local needs and contributes to national development;
  • Collaboration and partnership with local and international Agencies/Bodies in the promotion of Nutrition, food safety and food security matters;
  • Liaise and with national, regional and international groups/bodies on capacity building and capacity strengthening in health and biomedical technologies to partner build a critical mass of professionals;
  • Promote, facilitate, execute, coordinate, monitor and evaluate activities, projects and programmes for the appropriate deployment of health and biomedical technologies in the country;
  • Collaborate with private sector on the domestication of indigenous health and biomedical technologies in the country;
  • Collaborate with Public and Private Research Institutions on the development, training and utilization of indigenous health and biomedical technologies;
  • Promote, facilitates, coordinate, monitor and evaluate national Research and Development (R&D) activities in Government Funded Private Tertiary and Research Institutions under the supervision of FMST in health and biomedical technologies;
  • Involvement in the supervision of Science, Technology and Innovation Programmes in FMIST Agencies/Parastatals namely:
    • Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis and Onchocerciasis Research (NITR), Kaduna.
    • Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), Lagos.
    • Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology (NiCFoST).

The following are Programmes and Activities of HBS Department:

  • Use of Innovative Technologies for the Development and Promotion of Improved Planting Materials to Enhance Food Security

The Project is aimed at deploying the technology known as Temporary Immersion Bioreactor System (TIBS) to rapidly develop high yielding and disease resistant planting materials for planting by farmers in order to increase agricultural productivity; leading to reduced poverty, reduced hunger and job/ wealth creation.

  • Deployment of Innovative Technologies for the Evaluation and Preservation of Food Stuffs (Beans and Grains) to Enhance Food safety

The Project is tailored to effectively sensitize Nigerians on proper application and handling of pesticides, protect the health of consumers in the country as well as boost food exports.

  • Use of Technologies for the Development and Evaluation of Identified Herbal Recipes for Improved, Accessible and Affordable Healthcare Delivery

The programme is aimed at deploying technologies to enhance herbal remedies for the prevention and management of identified health ailments e.g. Epilepsy, Malaria, Sickle Cell Anaemia and Trypanosomiasis thereby reducing the disease burden in the country with resultant improvement in the quality of lives of the citizens. It will also assist in the conservation of Medicinal, Aromatic and Pesticidal Plants (MAPs).

  • Deployment of Innovative Technologies for Food Harvesting, Processing and Preservation to Reduce Post-Harvest Losses in Fruits and Vegetables

The Project is aimed at improving harvesting, processing and preservation technologies in order to reduce postharvest losses in the country thereby leading to reduced poverty, reduced hunger, job/ wealth creation.

  • Deployment of Labour-Saving Technologies to Reduce Workload in Women

The project is aimed at deploying labour-saving technologies that can reduce workload in women to the six geopolitical zones thereby improving the health and wellbeing of women, children, and the entire household

  • National Food for Health Benefits Research Project

The project is aimed at improving the health of Nigerians through the popularization and consumption of under-utilized highly nutritious foods.

  • Deployment of Technology to Identify Herbal Medicine Use among Urban Residents in Nigeria

The project is aimed at generating and providing evidence-based data on the acceptance and utilization of herbal remedies among urban dwellers

  • Social Innovation in Health Initiative

The project is aimed at expanding access to healthcare services for vulnerable groups and communities.

  • Provision of small grants to conduct Food and Nutrition Research on Standardization of food recipes and portion sizes of locally available diet

The Project is aimed at improving the standard of locally available staple diets    

  • Promotion and dissemination of research findings on food processing and preservation technology for use in households

The Project is aimed at improving harvesting, processing and preservation technologies in order to reduce post- harvest losses in the country

  • Use of technologies for the development and promotion of herbal antidotes for treatment of snake bites in Nigeria

The project is aimed at contributing to snakebite management by creating a database of snake species, understanding their venomous characteristics and exploring herbal treatments that can be used as antidotes.

  • Establishment of Technology Improvement Centres for Traditional Medicine Practitioners (TMPs) across the Country

The project is tailored towards improving TMP’s access to modern natural medicine technologies for enhanced herbal products processing and packaging thereby leading to improved standard and quality of herbal products in the country.

  • Analysis and Authentication of Claims of Anti-COVID-19 Activity of Indigenous Herbal Remedies and Natural Compounds

The project is aimed at receiving, documenting, evaluating, and authenticating all claims of anti-COVID-19 activity, efficacy and safety of compounds, herbal remedies and other products submitted to the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology as possible treatments for COVID-19.

  • Establishment of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Desk in FMIST

This is aimed at promoting at all levels the right of FMIST staff to a safe, conducive and healthy working environment; prevent and reduce to the barest minimum all avoidable accidents (or incidents) in the workplace.

  • Promotion of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine

The project is aimed at building a solid evidence base for policies and standards on traditional medicine practice and products as well as regulating its quality and safety for optimal, sustainable impact, and possibly integrating it into Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system.

  • Establishment of Grand Challenges Nigeria

The project is aimed at catalyzing a network of local researchers and development practitioners that have the capacity to innovate for impact, scalability, sustainability, and gender equity around key public health, science and technology, agriculture, food systems, nutrition and climate change related priorities in Nigeria.

The Grand Challenges Nigeria Project was officially launched by the Vice President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima GCON on 18th November 2024.

Request for proposals on maternal, newborn and child health was announced at the event. The link for application is https://scienceforafrica.foundation/media-center/grand-challenges-nigeria-launch-funding-call-maternal-child-health

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