Mengo Hospital has unique health, environmental, social, and economic challenges, which attract both local and international research interests. The number of research projects involving humans as research participants at Mengo has increased significantly. This increasing quest for knowledge and the search for novel remedies to health, environmental, social, and economic challenges is commendable, but could, if uncontrolled, involve exposing research participants to a spectrum of risks.
Due to a big number of Research projects undertaken by Mengo Hospital training schools and an overwhelming number of requests to conduct clinical trials and other types of research through the hospital by scientists and academicians from all over the world, a decision was made to create an Institutional Review Board to review all research projects involving human subjects to be conducted in and out of Mengo hospital.
In August 2009, after consultation and provisional accreditation by the Uganda National Council of Science and Technology (UNCST), the Medical Director of Mengo Hospital appointed 13 members from within and from outside Mengo hospital to constitute the Mengo Hospital Research Committee (MHREC) as the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Mengo Hospital. MHREC received its first accreditation by the UNCST on the 20th July 2011 and it is composed of both scientists and non-scientists. It is independent in its reflection, advice, and decision. It is currently composed of 15 members.
The main purpose of the Mengo Hospital-REC is to review the Science and Ethics of both National and International proposals/protocols submitted to the Committee, while safeguarding the rights, safety and welfare of the research participants involved. The MHREC has the authority to modify the research proposals/protocols, approve, suspend or terminate any studies, which are found to violate the Ethical guidelines and the status of the REC approval, and to oversee the approved studies thereafter. It is also the duty of this Committee to provide confidential, independent, competent reviews and approvals. In all its activities, it is mandatory that the Committee keeps the UNCST posted on all the REC decisions – a requirement which MHREC has followed since its inauguration.
The MHREC operates with the mandate and accreditation by the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST). It is internationally recognized and registered by the Federal Wide Assurance (FWA). The type of research protocols should be in line with the values and beliefs of Mengo Hospital, which is a Christian-founded Missionary Hospital.
MHREC promotes ethical and scientific research in Mengo Hospital by ensuring that evidence-based patient management solutions are continuously generated through research and this positively impacts treatment outcomes in Mengo Hospital and other settings with similar disease patterns.
MHREC have approved Standard Operating Procedures that help them in ensuring smooth, fair, efficient, and judicious operation of its activities. These SOPs apply to all the day-to-day operations of MHREC, all members who serve on it as part of their overall institutional responsibilities and all others who must subscribe to its decisions and its requirement (for example the clinical investigators, research managers/ coordinators, research nurses, support staff etc.).
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, all researchers are encouraged to use the online system when submitting their research proposal for review. Hard copies will not be allowed with time. To get started, access the NRIMS website on https://nrims.uncst.go.ug/ Submit protocol
Research Protocol
Mengo Hospital would like to support all research undertaken in the hospital. In order to protect the patient, the researcher and the hospital ethical and legal guidelines must be followed when undertaking research.
The following provides an outline of the process and the documentation required in obtaining Ethics Committee approval.
Step 1
Persons wishing to undertake research in Mengo Hospital must first submit the following to the Medical Director.
- A cover letter including the name, address, phone number, e-mail address of the Principal Investigator.
- Introductory letter addressed to the Medical Director
- Fully written proposal with necessary approvals
The recommendations of the Medical Director must be in writing to the Principal Investigator
Step 2
Following the Medical Director’s approval, the research proposal can be submitted to the Research Ethics Committee (REC) for either initial review or Administrative approval.
- The initial review is done online through accessing the NRIMS website on https://nrims.uncst.go.ug/ Submit protocol
- While for the administrative approval, the researcher needs to submit the following requirements to the REC:
- The Medical Director’ s recommendation
- Cover letter addressed to the chair Mengo Hospital REC
- Introductory letter addressed to the chair Mengo Hospital REC
- The proposal with all the necessary information including the tools (translated where necessary)
- A letter of approval by UNCST accredited IRB/REC in the country
- Present a copy of the research fee receipt to the Mengo Hospital REC office (Payable to accounts Mengo Hospital).
Step 3
Following approval at the Research Ethics Committee, the Chairman must inform the Principal Investigator in writing and the research proposal with the approvals can be presented to the relevant Head of Department and the Consultant in Charge of the area affected by the research for authorization.
For any enquires regarding the REC, please contact the REC Administrator in Albert Cook Building at Mengo Hospital Kampala -Uganda
Tel: +256312307100 or +256702901996
Email: research@mengohospital.org or mengorec@gmail.com
