Almost 15 years ago, when the University of Ghana established its Office of Research, Innovation, and Development, it did so with the goal of bolstering the West African nation’s research capacity.
 Scientists at the West African Centre for Cell Biology and Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana, setting up a genome sequencing experiment in the laboratory. Credit: WACCBIP | In the African region, where less than 0.5% of GDP is devoted to research, and a significant number of Africa’s educated is siphoned off to other countries, TDR has spearheaded the effort to make universities like the University of Ghana research-intensive and competitive. TDR support for research capacity strengthening activities at the University of Ghana focuses on enabling researchers to tackle infectious diseases of poverty through qualityimplementation research, the study of bridging basic science research and practice. This could mean examining why many patients on antiretroviral therapy drop out of treatment or identifying barriers to TB treatment adherence – the subject of recentpublicationsauthored by researchers at the University of Ghana. |
Capacity building works
“Capacity-building actually works,” remarked Professor Gordon AAwandare, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Academic Student Affairs at the University of Ghana, at aTDR 50th anniversaryeventin Geneva, where he gave a detailed review of the collaborationbeforeTDR’s Joint Coordinating Boardon June 12. He cited, as one example, his own career trajectory. Awandare began a career in research through a TDR grant that allowed him to complete his masters training, and then got an opportunity to study for a PhD at the University of Pittsburgh while attending a conference on malaria with support from TDR. He returned home to the University of Ghana in 2010, founding the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens(WACCBIP)in 2014. Since then, the Centre, supported by the Wellcome Trust and the World Bank, has endowed 400 fellowships and received $53 million in grants, thereby directly reducing the “brain drain” across the African region. |
Professor Gordon A. Awandare at TDR’s Joint Coordinating Board meeting in Geneva, 12 June 2024 |
A decade-long partnership
Newly enrolled master’s students during their lab induction at WACCBIP, University of Ghana.
Credit: WACCBIP
In 2014 the University of Ghana’s School of Public Healthsigned a partnership agreement with TDR to create a regional training center thatleads activities in the African region for strengthening capacity in implementation researchto tackle infectious diseases of poverty.
The initiative has so far trained more than 25,000 individuals across Africa, including health practitioners, decision-makers and researchers.
“Looking at how far we’ve come as a training centre, it is our desire to become a centre of excellence,” said Professor Phyllis Dako-Gyeke, who led the TDR-supported research training programmes at University of Ghana until herpassingon 11 June.
But the success of an almost decade-long relationship is not without its challenges. Sustainable donor support and aligned interests on research priorities remain key, she said.
Real-time research
A community health worker conducts an interview in Obuasi, Ghana, to identify barriers and facilitators for TB control. Credit: African Regional Training Centre
Dr Emmanuel Asampong, coordinator of the regional training centre at the University of Ghana, notes that “the impact of implementation research on disease themes in Africa and beyond is impressive because the initiative promotes the use of real-time research results in various contexts – such as neglected tropical diseases programmes, national malaria programmes, and tuberculosis control programmes – to provide solutions to challenges.”
The global training programme, which has played a significant role in positioning University of Ghana as a research-intensive university, supports seven regional training centres across six WHO regions. With additional partners in Colombia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Senegal and Tunisia, the programme develops and updates implementation research courses, provides faculty training and supports career development.
The University of Ghana also partners with TDR on apostgraduate training scheme, which provides a full academic scholarshipfor master’s students. The training is specifically focused on implementation research to tackle infectious diseases of poverty.
The list of TDR alumni across the world runs long, and the University of Ghana can claim many public health leaders among them.
“My postgraduate training at the University of Ghana, supported by TDR, was an invaluable catalyst in shaping my academic and professional journey,” said Dr Mbele Whiteson, Senior Resident Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health in Zambia. “I have learned to recognize the intricate interplay between health outcomes and social determinants.”
For more information, please contact Dr Mahnaz Vahedi.
