Success Story of Kintampo Health Research Central

NEWS COMMENTARY LOOKS AT THE SUCCESS STORY OF THE KINTAMPO HEALTH RESEARCH CENTRAL AMIDST INADEQUATE FUNDING FROM GOVERNMENT.

Ghana is celebrating the success story of one of its health research centres, the Kintampo Health Research Centre, KHRC, which has exhibited 25 years of excellent work, though this feat has not been achieved in isolation. This attests to the fact that Ghana has great scientists and researchers as well as some of the finest brains in health research who are diligent in their field of work. Thankfully some of these research works have informed policy. The World Health Organisation (WHO) Country representative in Ghana, Dr Owen Kaluwa remarked at the launch of centre’s silver jubilee that, ”Ghanaians should be proud to have a pool of highly learned scientists who are authorities in their fields of work and are contributing to the body of knowledge not only in Ghana but globally”.

Ghana’s first President Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah once said that, ”The Black Man is capable of managing his own affairs”. Perhaps this can be said of the Kintampo Health Research Centre which is an African based research centre with an African identity and emphasises African solutions to African health challenges. KHRC, is one of the three field research centres of the Research and Development Division of the Ghana Health Service. With it’s 25 year’s experience in health research, it has developed one of the largest District Surveillance System (DSS) and study populations in Africa and established reputation for quality research.

There is ample evidence to show as some of its study results have been translated into policy and implementation. Notable among them are the vitamin A Supplementation to children, Maternal and Child health Records, GSK Meningitis trials and the development of the much-touted malaria vaccine trial, RTS’s or mosquirix which is now being piloted in the Central, Oti, Volta, Bono and Bono East Regions. Well minded Ghanaians and indeed across the world are excited about their development except some who have been described as conspiracy theorists, anti-science and people with half knowledge peddling falsehood about the malaria vaccine. Achievements of the centre bring to the fore the need for research to shore up the health of a nation because that is the very core of every nation’s development and the health of its people.

KHRC has been able to live up to its vision of becoming a centre of excellence that conduct high quality research to shape both local and international health policy, programmes and practices due to quality leadership, commitment and zeal towards achieving results. So far, the three directors of the Centre have received the loudest applause for bringing the Centre this far with a biennial memorial lecture instituted for the first director, Dr Paul Arthur who passed on.

There couldn’t have been any better theme for the celebration, than “Sustaining 25 years of Excellence in Health Research. Impacting Community, Shaping Health Policy and Practice” because the Centre has really lived up to its vision. It deserves a double pat on the shoulders. It has impact on its area of operation tremendously. This explains why the top notch of Kintampo descended on Accra for the launch of the silver Jubilee. There were Chiefs, Queen mothers, Opinion leaders and government officials who travelled far to grace the occasion. All said and done funding becomes a critical issue in the research arena. It is on record that research activities at the Centre receive 70 percent of external funding.  It is important for government to have dedicated funding towards research in the country to allow the three health research centres undertake specific research according to the needs and priority of communities for the needed attention. This will encourage young scientists to venture into research to improve the health status of citizens.

After 25 years of excellence in health research, KHRC has received a number of outstanding awards including the 2008 Prince of Asturias Foundation Award given to institutions and organisations in Africa, leading that are leading in the fight against malaria. For addressing the health needs of Ghanaians and Africans, we say Ayeeko.

By Theresah Owusu Ako.