The clinical Trials Unit of the Navrongo Health Research Centre is one of the new units created during the past year as part of restructuring the operations of the Centre to ensure effective planning and improve efficiency in the utilization of resources. Its mandate is to support investigators conducting clinical trials in the Centre to conduct such trials per the applicable regulatory requirements and local laws.

Clinical trials are no longer a preserve of a few research institutions in the sub-region since several research units are bidding to conduct clinical trials in recent years. Faced with this competitive atmosphere, the NHRC Clinical Trials Unit must prepare adequately to face current trends.
During the year, the Unit set out to establish systems based on best practices across the globe to be able to deliver on its mandate. Our objectives were:

• To generate and apply the best possible Standard Operating Procedures for improving the conduct of clinical trials and patient care.
• To fulfill the regulatory requirements that Clinical Trials are conducted in accordance with applicable guidelines and regulations. To set out the standards and responsibilities for investigators to apply in clinical research
• To improve research quality and safeguard the public by enhancing ethical, scientific and data quality, promoting good practice, adequate documentation and reporting of adverse events.
• Ensuring lessons learned from trials are transferred to other studies and future trials.
• Preventing poor performance and misconduct
• To build the capacity of our staff through internal and external training.