As Zambia repeals its “Tropical Diseases Research Centre (TDRC) Act of 1982,” to replace it with the “National Health Research and Training Institute Bill of 2024,” the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) is proud to have made an oral submission to the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services today.

This follows a request from the Clerk of the Zambia National Assembly for CIDRZ to review the proposed bill and suggest amendments.

The CIDRZ delegation was led by Mr Michelo Simuyandi, a researcher in Enteric Disease and Vaccine, who was accompanied by Mr Stephen Makasa, the Risk and Compliance Manager, and Dr David Singini, a clinical Researcher in the TB Department.

The new legislation aims to broaden the mandate of the TDRC to include (i) a National Reference Laboratory, (ii) a Biobank, (iii) a broader disease focus extending beyond tropical diseases, and (iv) research into indigenous knowledge, traditional, and complementary alternative medicines.