Navrongo Research Centre to get modern laboratory(D/G Thursday July 3, 2008 page 40)

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Navrongo
The Navrongo Health Research Centre, (NHRC), in the Kassena-NankanaDistrict of the Upper East Region to get a $ 139,000 modern clinicallaboratory.The project which is being funded by the United States Embassy whencompleted will serve to enhance research activities at the centre andenable it conduct more sophisticated research. It will also provide anopportunity for the centre to provide laboratory services to people inthe Navrongo community.Speaking at a sod-cutting ceremony at Navrongo, Major Vang Tong onbehalf of the US Ambassador to Ghana said the construction of theclinical trial centre would help the people in terms of healthservices delivery in the district.Major Vang, who is also the Chief at the Office of SecurityCooperation, praised the management of the centre on its achievementsover the years and express the hope the early completion of theproject would go a long way to further enhance their researchactivities.The District Chief Executive for Kassena-Nankana, Mr. EmmanuelChegeweh, commended the US government for its support to the centrewhich he said, would go along way to enhance its work and enable itachieve the mandate for which it was established.Mr. Chegeweh said the centre since its creation, has made inroads intoseveral research interventions that have gone a long way to improvethe health status of the people, adding that NHRC's intervention intoAdolescent Sexual Reproductive Health, especially among young peoplehas improved the knowledge and attitudes on sex and has ultimatelyreduced HIV/AIDS and STI's infection among the youth.The Director of NHRC, Dr. Abraham Hodgson said the construction of amodern laboratory will further enhance "our research activities,enabling us answer scientific question that will help inform policyand ultimately improve health".He said since its creation in 1992, research activities have focusedon infectious diseases like malaria, cerebro-spinal meningitis,respiratory infections, diarrhoeal diseases and schistosomiasis.It has also researched into community based health service delivery,reproductive and adolescent health, Female Genital Mutilation, andageing.He disclosed that currently the centre was following up on over 2000newborns under its Birth cohorts study emphasizing that these childrenwill be followed up till they are five years of age to study theeffects of malaria on them.Dr. Abdul-Razak Dokurugu on behalf of the regional director of healthservices stressed the importance of research in health servicedelivery and commended the US embassy for supporting the centre.Dr. William Gudu, in charge of the Navrongo War memorial Hospital whobemoaned the absence of an efficient medical laboratory services inthe district said the completion of the project will boost diagnosticservices in the district and result in better treatment of ailments.