On 3 November 2021, great minds in research from various corners of the country converged to discuss ethical issues related to health research at Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre, Malawi.

The Ministry of Health organised a two-day Malawi Research Ethics Workshop for stakeholders including Malawi Liverpool Wellcome (MLW) to deliberate topics including Data Sharing, Implementation of the Nagoya Protocol in Malawi, and Biobanking.

In his opening remarks, the Principal Secretary of Administration in the Ministry of Health Beston Chisamile said the health research discussions are a recipe for progress and development within the research sphere.

“Let me take this opportunity to appreciate various research stakeholders present for the spirit of engaging each other in various important issues like this workshop. This meeting has a very important objective which is to support the development of guidelines for Malawi in data issues as they relate to research,” said Chisamile.

Among others, the keynote speaker thanked Malawi Liverpool Wellcome (MLW) for sponsoring the event, indicating that the gesture is the institution’s vivid demonstration of commitment towards improved health service delivery in the country.

Deputy Director of MLW Professor Henry Mwandumba said the Malawi Research Ethics Workshop is a remarkable discourse that accorded researchers and other stakeholders a chance to contribute to the designing of guidelines in Biobanking, Data Sharing and Implementation of the Nagoya Protocol in Malawi.

“As Malawi Liverpool Wellcome (MLW) we are honoured to be part of these discussions that will critically contribute towards guidelines development in areas of data management in research,” said Mwandumba.

The 2021 Research Ethics Workshop was informed by the 2017 International Workshop organised by National Health Sciences Research Committee (NHSRC) and the College of Medicine Research Ethics Committee (COMREC) to discuss controlled Human Infection models.