Acting President of Wallaga University
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- Published on Tuesday, 25 February 2025 12:48
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Acting President of Wallaga University.
A two-days (20 & 21 February, 2025) Annual International Research Conference hosted by Wallaga University under the theme: ''Getting Research into Practice and Policy (#GRIPP): Innovations and Technologies in Fostering a Health System'' successfully completed.
His Excellency, Dr. Tesfaye Lemma, Wallaga University's Acting President, has officially opened the Conference and moderated discussion on the Keynote papers presented by two distinguished professors and a higher Government Official, Dr. Dereje Duguma, (a State Minister, Ministry of Health, Ethiopia). In his opening remark, the president extended his gratitude and appreciation to the invited participants for coming, and whished all successful deliberations during the conference and enjoyable stay at Nekemte.
The conference participants have raised questions related to prevalence of malaria and shortages of drugs and medical equipment’s, particularly in rural areas, the effect climate change on health, loosening of regulatory works on privately owned drug stores and clinics, and medication fees patients are being asked for services, transferring a number of patients for higher treatment elsewhere, the level of commitment and availability of specialists on duty, issues related to expiry of and/or drug efficacy/resistance, embracing traditional healers/medicine into the health care system, less collaboration efforts between and among stakeholders, multidisciplinary approach and female researchers participation in healthcare research, were the core questions and comments asked and reflected by the participants.
Dr. Tesfaye thanked all the keynote speakers for addressing critical issues and sharing their valuable experiences and the way forward. In line with the theme of the conference, everyone attended the conference, and the community of academia and researchers, have to do researches that solve the real problems of industries, and generate convincing, valid, and evidence-based to support and inform policy decision and practitioners to implement policy change in order to transform our health care system and improve our health services. That is the clear meaning of Applied University research when it comes to research. The same applies to our education system, he added.
In line with #GRIPP, individually, or as an institution, we have to engage stakeholders, in a research process, even including designing the research approach and methodology from the very beginning, engaging in validating/pilot-testing the result, so that the output can be institutionalized, commercialized and used at scale, that is what it means by #GRIPP, the president underscored. In order to generate such research result, we have to change our tradition, and encourage multidisciplinary and even trans disciplinary research, he proposed. A good example can be a health research, which is not the headache of health practitioners only. Social Scientists and those who trained in Agricultural research can and should contribute in solving health problem, providing evidences of such researches from literature, and own practical experience.
We have to able use emerging technolgies like artificial intelligence and machine learning, in our research and to improve our health care system, as indicated by keynote presenters, particularly, by His Excellency, Dr. Dereje Duguma, State Minister, MoH, the president stressed. As Applied Science University we have to seriously consider and think in that line and revise our structure, process, and our working culture to meet the current demand for research and renovation. Unless we organize ourselves differently by developing different kinds of process and developing different kinds mindset, we cannot deliver nor have a product relevant to policy makers, practioners, our community and our industry, he pinpointed.
Finally, the president reminded one more time, particularly for Wallaga University, the theme of the research is timely, in our effort to transform ourselves from Conventional University to real Applied Science University in all mandates (teaching and learning, research, and community service activities).
Before winding up the two-day international scientific research conference, all the research papers presented at parallel sessions were summarized by rapporteurs to the entire participants. Finally, paper presenters, keynote speakers, the organizers of the research conference have replied to comments and questions rose by the participants.