KHRC HOLDS STAKEHOLDERS MEETING

June 22, 2022 | News release | Reading time: 3 min

The Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC) on June 22, 2022 convened a meeting with stakeholders to solicit opinions and discuss issues pertaining to the institution’s operations.

The meeting which was held at the KHRC premises brought together various stakeholders including, chiefs, traditional leaders, collaborators, municipal health directorates, heads of department, opinion leaders, the media and community members.

Gracing the occasion were Dr. Kwaku Poku Asante, Director of the Kintampo Health Research Centre, Dr. Abraham Oduro, Director of the Research and Development Division (RDD), Dr. Kwabena Opoku-Adusei, Director of the College of Health and Well-Being, Kintampo, Kintampo North, other top dignitaries and staff of KHRC.

Addressing the stakeholders, Dr. Kwaku Poku Asante, Director of the Kintampo Health Research Centre reiterated the research centre’s mission, which is to conduct research that will influence the direction of policy and the implementation of programmes that aim to significantly improve well-being and reduce ill-health.

The purpose of the meeting, he explained, is to provide stakeholders a chance to make inputs into the operations of the centre. In view of this, he urged the general public to seize the opportunity to voice out their grievances, their opinions and ask questions on any misconceptions they might have about the institution’s operations.

Dr. Abraham Oduro, Director of the Research and Development Division (RDD) used the occasion to emphasize the importance of research in a country’s development and lauded the Kintampo Health Research Centre for its immense contributions towards ensuring quality health care in the country particularly its active role in the trials and pilot evaluation of the World Health Organisation (WHO) approved malaria vaccine and the vitamin A supplement known as the ObaapaVitA.

As part of the meeting, renowned researchers from KHRC made presentations on projects being undertaken by the institution.

Mr.Mahama Abukari, the Kintampo Health and Demographic Surveillance System (KHDSS) Project manager, in his presentation noted that the surveillance system provides a baseline information to inform further research activities. In addition, it provides a sampling frame for selecting potential study participants for surveys, clinical trials and other studies.

The monitoring system also makes provision for subsequent follow-up of participants in other projects carried out by the research centre. He further mentioned that the KHDSS collects data on the dynamics of the population in six administrative regions in the Bono East Region.

Speaking on hypertension, Mr.Solomon Nyame, Project manager for hypertension study noted that the centre screened about three thousand participants and discovered that twenty percent of them had hypertension. According to him, half of the population who were found to have hypertension did not know about their condition which he described as worrying.

However, he noted that twenty percent of the study participants are actively seeking medical attention at different health centers and district hospitals. As such, he called on the general public to do regular checkups in order to avoid any complications and untimely death from hypertension.

Dr. Thomas Gyan, RTS,S project Coordinator for the malaria vaccine pilot evaluation in Ghana also announced that World Health Organization (WHO) has finally recommended the use of the malaria vaccine for children. He continued by saying that children can receive the vaccination in four doses at the ages of six months, seven months, nine months, and two years.

He admonished parents to visit the various hospitals regularly with their children to be assessed and receive the required vaccinations.

Updating stakeholders on the Sanofi phase III Covid-19 vaccine trial, Dr. Seyram Kaali, co-principal investigator on the Covid vaccine trial project noted that KHRC was given approval by the Kintampo Health Research Centre Institutional Ethics Committee, Ghana Health Service Ethics Review Committee and the Food and Drugs Authority to conduct a study on the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Sanofi to help combat the pandemic.

He stated that in line with the study, an interim analysis was done prior to the end of the study to ensure the vaccine’s efficiency and safety. He encouraged the participants to report any adverse effects or illness experienced after consenting to the study, as this is critical to achieving the study's goal.

Mrs.Charlotte Tawiah Agyeman, Head of Implementation Research noted that the centre is currently undertaking a project known as AdOPT, a component of a wider study known as Pregnancy Risk Stratification Innovation and Measurement Alliance (PRiSMA).

The study which is being funded by the Bill and Melinda Gate foundation, she explained, is aimed at documenting outcomes of pregnancies through the collection of data set from developing countries in order to inform the development of clinical care protocols or interventions that will help improve maternal health and reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

The meeting was interspersed with cultural performance by the Centre For National Culture-Sunyani.

Stakeholders were also given a tour around the KHRC facility.