KAB Research Ethics Committee (REC) Accredited, becoming the first REC in South-western Uganda.
The Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) has accredited the REC for KAB as a fully fledged committee to protect the rights and welfare of human research participants. In the certificate provided, UNCST notes that KAB-REC has met the requirements and is competent to function as a REC.
According to a press release issued by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joy Kwesiga encourages the public to seek ethical approval of research protocols from the KAB-REC. After a vigorous assessment process, the UNCST awarded the University the Certificate of Accreditation and trained the Committee members in preparation for take-off. “I congratulate all the members of the Committee, led by Dr. Alex Barekye, and commend their willingness to serve on this committee. I also appreciate Prof. Natal Ayiga the Director of Research and Publications (DRP) for having managed the accreditation process”, she said.
As a result of the move, academic staff have praised the effectiveness and timeliness of Research Ethics Committee approval. According to the University’s Coordinator for Higher Degrees, Prof. Kaaya Siraje, accreditation of the KAB-REC is an opportunity for PhD students to get their research protocols approved on time. He further notes that many RECs are taking a long time to approve student research. “Some RECs have only approved student research about once every four months and have remained silent when students applied. We request our REC to sit whenever there is need for sitting and also to respond to students’ applications”, he noted.
According to Ms. Jellan Tugeineyo, the Assistant Administrative Officer for the KAB-REC, protocols may be submitted by members of the public from other universities and regions as well. She further says that members of the KAB-REC have already been trained and are now ready to start executing their duties. “There have already been inquiries from people wishing to submit their protocols, and I encourage researchers from the greater Kigezi region and beyond to utilize the KAB-REC since it is the only facility in the region”, she added.
As stipulated in the accreditation certificate, the KAB-REC will remain compliant with all applicable national standards for a period of three years, after which it will be subject to renewal. At KAB, the REC can be contacted by email at rec@kab.ac.ug or by e-mail at recadmin@kab.ac.ug and by phone at 0772689707.
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