The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, has tasked the Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC) to intensify research into the persistent annual meningitis-related deaths recorded in northern Ghana.
He made this charge during a working visit to the Centre as part of efforts to strengthen surveillance, prevention, and response strategies within Ghana’s meningitis belt. The visit formed part of the Director-General’s broader engagement with health institutions in the northern sector to assess ongoing public health interventions and explore research-driven solutions to recurring disease outbreaks.
Addressing the management and staff of the Navrongo Health Research Centre, Dr. Akoriyea emphasized the urgent need for scientific investigations into the underlying causes of the seasonal outbreaks and the factors contributing to the yearly mortality pattern. He noted that although Ghana has made progress in vaccination campaigns and case management, meningitis continues to pose a significant public health threat, particularly in the Upper East Region and surrounding areas.
He called on the Centre to leverage its long-standing expertise in population and health research to generate robust evidence that will inform national policy decisions and targeted interventions. According to him, understanding the epidemiological, environmental, and socio-behavioural drivers of meningitis outbreaks is critical to designing sustainable and context-specific solutions. ” We might not be able to stop meningitis as a disease, but we want evidence-based health research data to design interventions to be able to stop meningitis-related deaths in the Northern part of the country, because every child that dies could have been the next president or the next father to put food on our tables. Hence, among all the national and international health research activities you carry out, meningitis should be one of them,” He stated.
Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea addressing the staff and management of NHRC during the visit
Dr. Akoriyea further underscored the importance of translating research findings into practical public health action. He encouraged stronger collaboration between researchers, regional and district health directorates, community leaders, and other stakeholders to ensure that evidence generated leads to measurable impact at the community level.
The director of the Navrongo Health Research Centre, Dr. Patrick Ansah, in a statement, highlighted the Centre’s readiness to work with the Ghana Health Service in addressing the numerous health concerns within the sub-region. He reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to supporting national disease control efforts through high-quality research, surveillance, and stakeholder engagement. He concluded by highlighting NHRC’s track record in demographic surveillance and infectious disease research, positioning the Centre as a strategic partner in the fight against meningitis and other communicable diseases.
Dr. Patrick Ansah delivering his closing remarks during the DG’s visit.
The visit also provided an opportunity for discussions on strengthening laboratory capacity, improving data systems, and enhancing early detection mechanisms to reduce fatalities associated with meningitis outbreaks. Emphasis was placed on proactive surveillance, timely reporting, and community sensitization to promote early health-seeking behaviour.
Dr. Patrick Ansah taking the DG on a tour of the newly built NHRC lab complex
Meningitis remains a recurring public health concern in northern Ghana, particularly during the dry season when climatic conditions increase vulnerability to infection. Health authorities continue to advocate for vaccination, prompt treatment, and public awareness as key measures in reducing morbidity and mortality.
The engagement between the Ghana Health Service and the Navrongo Health Research Centre signals a renewed commitment to evidence-based strategies aimed at breaking the cycle of annual meningitis-related deaths and strengthening Ghana’s overall epidemic preparedness and response systems.