R.O. Agwanda
Centre for Public Health Research-KEMRI. P.O. Box 20752, Nairobi, Kenya
E-mail: kemrilib@ken.healthnet.org
The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) was established in 1979 under the Science and Technology (Amendment) Act of the same year to represent the national body responsible for carrying out research in the field of biomedical sciences in Kenya. The institute is also mandated to co-operate with other organisations, research bodies and institutions of higher learning within and outside Kenya in training programmes and on matters of relevant research. Currently, there are 10 research centres in the institute which were created to focus their research activities on certain specific areas of national and/or strategic importance. The institute has a workforce of approximately 1500 of which 500 are the research personnel, many of whom (about 50%) have postgraduate qualifications at the masters, doctoral and post doctoral levels. A recent survey conducted among the scientists in KEMRI revealed that most of the on-going biomedical research work is community based (60%). Of the remaining research activities these are either carried out in health facilities (30%) or at the central laboratories (30%) or both.
The institute had in its planning stages put up a structure for the development of a unit for providing specialised services in epidemiology, biostatistics and information technology. This was clearly specified in the initial mandates of the then Medical Research Centre (now known as Centre for Public Health Research (CPHR)). A few activities have been implemented since 1983. Notable among them are epidemiology and biostatistic support to major projects in KEMRI, development of the KEMRI Biostatistics and Management Information Systems Group, training in research proposal development and training in computer applications, data management and analysis. The unit put in place mechanisms for improved accessibility to computers-from one computer in 1983 to over 100 computers of 486 and above processors today. There are currently four biometricians (one with a PhD and three with an MSc degree) and two trainees. However, the current CPHR research mandate does not clearly spell out the structure and role of the unit, and there is no clear structure linking the unit to research activities in KEMRI. This is coupled with inadequate budgetary provision for the support of established services. Although most of the computer hardware and software packages have been acquired through a project funded by the Carnegie Corporation, the number of computers available to research scientists is still inadequate. Expertise in biostatistics and computer applications among the scientists is limited. There have been only two basic courses in biostatistics and computer applications organised for newly employed scientists in the institute during the past eight years.
A recent rapid survey of biostatistic and computer application capacity among approximately 50 scientists shows that only 10% of the scientists can competently carry out data entry, management and analysis, while most of them (90%) seek the expertise of a biostatistician. Nevertheless, the majority of scientists are using spreadsheet software such as Excel and the database systems Access or Dbase for data entry and management prior to statistical analysis (Table 1). SPSS is widely used (70%) by scientists for data analysis due to ease of access to a user manual (90%) supplied through the Carnegie funded project. SAS and Epi-Info are also used to a lesser extent for data analysis by some of the scientists.
Table 1. Percentages of scientists in KEMRI trained in the use of software packages for data entry, management and analysis, percentages of scientists currently using the package and, of these, percentages with access to a user manual.
Software package |
Scientists trained in KEMRI |
Scientists currently using package in KEMRI |
Current users with access to manual |
Dbase |
20 |
20 |
20 |
Access |
10 |
20 |
20 |
Excel |
40 |
30 |
20 |
Epi Info |
10 |
20 |
30 |
SPSS |
30 |
70 |
90 |
SAS |
10 |
20 |
50 |
Varying levels of statistical expertise amongst scientists have been observed. About 30% have expressed the need to undergo a basic training course in biostatistics and a further 30% at an advanced level. The majority of the scientists (90%) have expressed the need to undergo a refresher course in data management and analysis while some 40% feel that they need a permanent help desk established in the institute. Acquisition of more computers and software was mentioned by 30% of scientists.
