Kenya unveils revolutionary labs in universities to build research capacity

KENYA – Kenya has inaugurated the National Phototherapeutics Research Centre (PRC) at Kenyatta University and Laboratories of the National Institute for Optics and Lasers (NIOL) at Multimedia University to strengthen health research capacity.

The National Phototherapeutics Research Centre (PRC) will be used to train students, staff and traditional medicine men on non-conventional medicine as well as test the efficacy of herbs, test standards and research on new herbal medicines for treating various ailments.

The KES69M research center at Kenyatta University funded by the National Research Fund (NRF) will facilitate testing, validating and documenting indigenous along with locally available resources to produce natural health products that provide equitable, affordable and quality healthcare in the region.

Kenyatta University Vice Chancellor Prof. Paul Wainaina said that the research hub will help in entrenching the role of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in the East Africa region for social and economic development.

The research center will support promotion of herbal medicine in Kenya by providing a functional herbal medicine development facility, a quality assurance facility for herbal medicine products as well as a lab and equipment for use in up-scaling innovative products to commercialization and licensing level.

The National Research Fund (NRF) Kenya IS mandate to mobilize, allocate and manage financial resources to facilitate an effective national innovation system that would create required knowledge and innovations in all fields of Science and Technology for the growing economy.

In addition, the Multimedia University has unveiled the Laboratories of the National Institute for Optics and Lasers to bolster the use of laser technology in the medical field including eye/cancer treatment and other non-invasive operations as well as communication and transmission of data across the world.

Ministry of Education State Department for University Education and Research Principal Secretary (PS) Amb. Simon Nabukwesi commissioned the ultra-modern laboratories funded by the National Research Fund that will boost technological development and innovation.

He said the government will give needed support for the labs that demonstrate innovativeness, entrepreneurship and active linkages with industries and communities, noting that Research, Innovation and Technology are key drivers of economic development and transformations in the world.

Meanwhile, University Education and Research Principal Secretary Amb. Simon Nabukwesi also commissioned an ultramodern national research center at Chuka University to promote innovations that will foster sustainable development across Kenya.

The Academic and Research Excellence Centre (AREC) will focus on extensive research in science, technology and innovation while teaching students to become innovators in the near future, the facility seeks to enhance innovations particularly in environment conservation and renewable energy.

In addition, Chuka University, Ministry of Education and National Research Fund (NRF) have partnered to provide modern scientific equipment at the Academic and Research Excellence Centre that will promote learning and extensive research.

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