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(4)
Implementation Structure for Research on Infectious Diseases
Table 4.4 lists four other research institutes for infectious diseases control under the
jurisdiction of the MOH.
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Table 4.4 Research Institutes for Infectious Diseases Control in Ghana
Organization Activities
National Public Health
Reference Laboratory
(NPHRL)
The NPHRL belongs to the Public Health Division and Institutional Care
Division of the GHS. NPHRL is positioned as the central top referral
laboratory and manages health information referred from district
laboratories. The NPHLS has three of its own public health laboratories
(PHLs) in Kumasi, Tamale and Sekondi -Takundi to collect data and
prepare samples to send to the NPHLS.
The NPHRL and these three PHLs are not equipped with sophisticated
diagnostic apparatus, therefore the NMIMR is charged with advanced
research. Thus, there is a clear research demarcation between the NPHRL
and the NMIMR. For example, on HIV/AIDS testing, the NPHRL works on
rapid tests and the ELIZA method on the national HIV/AIDS screening, and
the NMIMR conducts examinations using CD4 counting and PCR for virus
determination. The NPHRL is defined as the national reference laboratory
for TB too. However, the NMIMR conducts most of the work of the
national reference laboratory due to the insufficient number of staff
members and inadequate facilities of the NPHRL.
Health Research Unit
(HRU)
The HRU was set up by the MOH in 1990, and belongs to the Policy,
Planning Monitoring and Evaluation of the GHS. The primary mandate of
the unit is to coordinate and conduct research into health issues to facilitate
policy formulation and program implementation. Also the training of
technologists and monitoring and evaluation of programs are part of its task.
The HRU has three field research centres, but these centres are not equipped
with a laboratory, so they are more or less district branch offices of the
HRU. Hence, the HRU coordinates with in-country research and academic
institutions such as the NMIMR, KCCR in Kumasi and the School of
Medicine at Ghana Univ. to obtain field data and research outputs. The
major task of the HRU is to prepare data and strategic papers that translate
research into policy
Centre for Scientific
Research into Plant
Medicine (CSRPM)
The CSRPM has three research divisions for botanical specimens, plant
sciences, and pharmacology. It conducts research on pharmaceutical
products from herbs and plants and identifies plants of medicinal and
scientific importance.
The CSRPM researches the efficacy of traditional, herbal preparations for
the treatment of opportunistic infections and malaria therapy working in
collaboration with the NMIMR. The CSRPM is also supplied with
experimental animals from the NMIMR.
Onchocerciasis
Chemotherapy Research
Centre (OCRC)
The OCRC was established in Hohoe, Volta Province, to conduct research
on onchocerciasis. The OCRC cooperates with the University Ghana and
the Bernhard-Nocht Institute in Germany who assists KCCR on the topic of
onchocerciasis treatment.
Prepared by the investigation team
The NPHRL is the focal research institute behind Ghana’s infectious diseases control
programs. However, as explained earlier, a realistic approach has been adopted to
eradicate each disease based on the technical levels and implementation system of the
NPHRL and the NMIMR. Although the HRU is also a research institute, it is mainly
involved in conducting administrative tasks related to commissioning research work
from outside research institutions. The CSRPM and the OCR are both involved in
specialized fields and their activities do not overlap with other research institutions.
Thus, work on infectious diseases control is appropriately demarcated. The NMIMR
is assigned as a reference laboratory for HIV/AIDS, polio and TB, and is also a
responsible institute for EQA of HIV and TB testing. Thus, the research activities of
other institutions do not overlap with those of the NMIMR.
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