THE NHRC INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD (IRB)
The Navrongo Health Research Centre Institutional Review Board (NHRCIRB) was established in February 2002 as an independent representative body to review, evaluate and decide on the ethical merits of the NHRC research protocols. The Board is responsible for reviewing all NHRC research protocols involving the use of human subjects and is committed to ensuring and guaranteeing the rights, dignity, safety and protection of all individuals and communities who participate in NHRC research activities.
The NHRCIRB has a Federalwide Assurance (FWA) with the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and has been registered as an Institutional Review Board. The IRB’s registration number is FWA00000250 and the identifier is IRB00000802. For more information on assurances see the link: https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/register-irbs-and-obtain-fwas/fwas/fwa-protection-of-human-subjecct/index.html
Membership
The IRB comprises of representatives of the following bodies, which is subject to periodic review:
- Regional Directorate of Health Services, Upper East Region
- Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC)
- Kassena-Nankana Districts Health Administration
- Kassena-Nankana District Assemblies
- Kassena-Nankana Traditional Council
- C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Science (CKT-UTAS)
- Department of Women and Children Affairs, Upper East Region
As mandated by federal regulations, at least one member of the NHRCIRB is a clinical scientist, one a non-scientist and one a community representative.
Current Membership of the NHRCIRB
| NAME | EXPERTISE | REPRESENTATION | VOTING STATUS |
Dr. Samuel Boakye-Boateng | Clinical Care | Regional Director of Health Services (UER) | Voting member |
| Dr. Thomas Anyorigiya (Ag. Chairman) | Biomedical Scientist | CKT-UTAS | Voting member |
| Dr. Nana Akosua Ansah (Vice-Chairperson) | Clinician | Navrongo Health Research Centre | Voting member |
| Dr. Patrick Ansah | Public Health (Specialist) | Director, NHRC | Non-Voting member |
| Mr. Iddrisu Andani | Planning Officer | Kassena Nankana Municipal Assembly, Navrongo | Voting member |
| Mr. James Twene | Social Scientist/ Gender Activist | Department of Women and Social Protection, Upper East Region | Voting member |
| Ms. Irene Kuwolamo | Social Scientist | Navrongo Health Research Centre | Voting member |
| Mr. Francis Broni | Biomedical Scientist | Navrongo Health Research Centre | Voting member |
| Dr. Lucy Osei-Ababio | Clinician | Navrongo Health Research Centre | Voting member |
| Mr. Cletus Tindana | Data Scientist | Navrongo Health Research Centre | Voting member |
| Dr. Gideon Akantuki | Clinician | War Memorial Hospital | Voting member |
| Naba Olando Ayamga Awuni II | Traditional Authority and Community Leadership | Kassena Nankana Municipality | Non-Voting member |
ALTERNATE MEMBERS
| NAME | EXPERTISE | REPRESENTATION | VOTING STATUS |
| Dr. Godfred Agongo | Biomedical Scientist (Genetics) | CKT-UTAS | Voting member |
| Ms. Edith Dambayi | Social Scientist | Navrongo Health Research Centre | Voting member |
| Ms. Deborah Narwortey | Biomedical Scientist | Navrongo Health Research Centre | Voting member |
| Ms. Georgina Aberese-Ako | Gender activist | Department of Women and Social Protection, Upper East Region | Voting member |
| Dr. Marcellinus Akplaga | Clinician | War Memorial Hospital | Voting member |
| Mr. Simon Bawa | Statistician | Navrongo Health Research Centre | Voting member |
| Ms. Eunice Tangwam | Nutritionist | Kassena Nankana Municipal Health Directorate | Voting member |
| Dr. Anthony Hama | Pharmacist | Navrongo Health Research Centre | Voting member |
| Mr. Hillary Akanlu | Senior Development Planning Officer | Kassena Nankana Municipal Assembly, Navrongo | Voting member |
| PE. Elvis Adanyina | Traditional Authority and Community Leadership | Kassena Nankana West District | Voting member |
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
The NHRC IRB has standard operating procedures (SOPs) to guide its operations.
NHRCIRB forms
These forms have been designed to assist investigators in their interactions with the NHRCIRB.
- Protocol Submission Form
- Continuing Review Form
- Information Sheet and Consent form Guide
- Protocol Amendment form
- Final Study Report Form
- Study Closure Form
- SAE Report Form
Schedule for Board Meeting
The NHRC IRB shall meet once a month, on every second Saturday of the month.
In the event that the Board is unable to convene, the IRB Chairperson shall provide an alternate meeting date and time.
New Protocol Submission
The Principal Investigator of a protocol is responsible for following protocol submission procedures as outlined in the NHRCIRB SOPs.
The submitting investigator shall submit the research protocol to the NHRCIRB through the Director of NHRC. Please contact the IRB Administrator for further advice before submission on either (+233) 248276561 or by e-mail: irb@navrongo-hrc.org
Other activities / Information
Since the establishment of the IRB in NHRC, efforts have been made to build the capacity of both IRB members and researchers. This has been in the form of participation in international, regional and national workshops on research ethics. Some of these workshops include : PRIM&R and ARENA, Ethics in health research in Africa, Johns Hopkins Ethics Fellowship program and Ethics in health research in developing countries. The Board was represented by the then Administrators, Mr. Raymond Aborigo and Mrs Miriam Diana Abagale in an international workshop for the Harmonization of Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) of IRBs in Africa held in Tanzania, June 2010.
The Board also conducts oversight on approved project activities and carries out community sensitization and education on research ethics through radio discussions.
The operations of the Board are guided by international guidelines and principles.
For protocols reviewed and approved by the NHRCIRB see list of ongoing projects and some past projects.
For more information contact:
Email: irb@navrongo-hrc.org
The IRB Administrator
Navrongo Health Research Centre
Ghana Health Service
P.O.Box 114,
Navrongo Ghana
Tel : (+233)0591152102