Apparently worried about the increasing number of deaths caused by diabetes mellitus disease world-wide especially in Nigeria coupled with the fact that the disease has for decades defied all medical approach for permanent cure, the World Bank has released $230,000.00 grant to NIPRD to develop an anti-diabetic phytomedicine from selected Nigerian medical plants.
The World Bank approval was conveyed in a letter of August 7, 2009 addressed to the Director General of NIPRD in Abuja.
The Letter read in part; “we are pleased to inform you that the World Bank has given ‘No Objection’ that part of the money you applied for should be given to you for the projects you submitted. The amount approved for the Project – Development of an anti-diabetic phytomedicine from selected Nigerian medical plants is $230,000.00 only.”
The project team at NIPRD led by Dr. Peters Oladosu is optimistic that it will provide a lead for the development of an anti-diabetic agent from indigenous medicinal plants.
“We are equal to the task, we have the training but money had been the issue. Now that money is available we will succeed in developing an anti-diabetic phytomedicine and the disease sufferers will soon hopefully get a relief,” Peters Oladosu reiterated.
The World Bank had in the letter conveying approval of the STEP-B project promised to give subsequent financial assistance to NIPRD if the current grant implementation is evaluated to be satisfactory.
STEP-B project is a World Bank support for Nigerian Post-Basic Education and Research sub-sector to produce more and better qualified science and technology graduates and high quality research results.
The STEP-B project fund is a competitive fund demand-driven and could only be accessed by developing standard proposals confirming strictly to the World Bank format.
Approved proposal initiatives are likely to impact on Nigerian economic development in relation to the development priorities as defined in NEEDS and the various SEEDS.
Professors Olobayo Kunle and Kolo Ibrahim, both Directors in NIPRD, said during a seminar to mark the take-off of the project yesterday that the grant was significant as it was the culmination of effort by management to empower research within the Institute.
They were hopeful that the project will be successfully completed within a year.
“With the successful execution of the project, NIPRD will be on the way to becoming a centre of excellence for the development of phytomedicine for the management of diabetes in Nigeria”, Professor Kunle reiterated.
On the approach to achieving the project objectives, Professor Kolo Ibrahim said there will be partnership with Traditional Medicine Practitioners (TMPs) and screening of a vast array of Nigerian medical plants traditionally used to treat Diabetes mellitus.
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