Health Comms Expert, Abayomi Oyelami Urges Local Ownership, Engagement In Clinical Research • Delivers lecture at Impact Africa summit 2025
By Trek Africa Newspaper
The Communications Officer of Sickle Cell Advocacy and Management Initiative (SAMI), Abayomi Oyelami has delivered a compelling lecture at the recent Impact Africa Summit (IAS) 2025 with the theme ‘Integrating African Voices’ which was held in Lagos from 20-22 November 2025.
The Summit organized by Xcene Research, a leading African Contract Research Organization with specialty in the sub-Saharan Africa market, is widely regarded as the largest Pharmaceutical R&D and Clinical Trials Summit in Africa. It brought together pharmaceutical leaders, clinical researchers, policymakers, healthcare innovators and development partners from across Africa and beyond. It also provided a strategic platform for conversations on advancing clinical research, equitable healthcare delivery and patient-centred innovation on the continent.
During the globally attended summit, Oyelami who hosts Nigeria’s only indigenous-language health radio programme dedicated to sickle cell education discussed the importance of ‘Enhancing Local Ownership in Clinical Trials: Strategies for Community Engagement & Participation’. He presented this theme as one of the speakers at the Patient Advocacy Forum which also had Dr. Benson Uzoma, Head of Patient Programs, sub-Saharan Africa, Novartis Global Health.
In his lecture, Oyelami spotlighted the critical role of culturally grounded health communication in improving health awareness and deepening clinical research in Africa. Drawing from his years of sickle cell advocacy and his expertise interacting with the grassroots through the weekly Yoruba-language health radio programme, Touch A Cell Lori Afefe, he emphasized how indigenous languages can bridge trust gaps between healthcare systems and underserved communities, including those with high sickle cell prevalence.
He challenged pharmaceutical and clinical research stakeholders to intentionally integrate community voices into trial design, patient education and post-market engagement. According to him, “the success of modern healthcare, especially in Africa, heavily relies on how we can align research innovation with the inherent needs, nuanced perceptions, and active efforts of the local stakeholders that the clinical trials are designed to benefit.” His presentation resonated strongly with delegates, who agreed with his assertion that since “clinical trials do not happen in a vacuum, they happen within societies with real people, it is thus prudent to secure their buy-in to achieve best outcomes.”
Yomi’s participation marked a significant moment for community-led health communication and indigenous-language advocacy within the high-level scientific discourse. He was presented with an Award of Excellence at the summit, alongside other distinguished speakers and global health leaders.
