The Research and Development Division (RDD) of the Ghana Health Service has concluded its annual Divisional Performance Review Meeting at the Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC). The two-day event, held from February 19 to 20, 2025, focused on the theme, “The Role of Health Research in Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through Network of Practice.”
The meeting, moderated by Dr. Samuel Chatio, brought together key stakeholders from the Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC), Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC), and Dodowa Health Research Centre (DHRC) to assess the progress of research initiatives and strategize for the coming year.
The event commenced with a brief welcome address from Dr. Patrick Ansah, Director of NHRC, who welcomed the attendees to the Centre. In his opening remarks, he highlighted the value of health research in advancing healthcare delivery. He concluded by stressing on the important need to invest in health research and skill development to attain better health outcomes.
The meeting aimed to review priorities for the year 2024, identify opportunities and challenges, develop strategic plans for 2024 and foster collaboration and innovations within the division and the three research centres.
Delivering a keynote address on behalf of the Director of Research and Development, Dr. Abraham Oduro, Professor. Kwaku Poku Asante, Director of KHRC, reflected on the division’s progress and future direction.
“I am delighted to speak at this meeting. The RDD, as a division of the Ghana Health Service, has a clear mandate to conduct, harmonize, and strengthen research to support national health policies. Since our establishment in 2009, we have remained committed to this mission,” he noted.
Prof. Asante highlighted key achievements in 2024, including the successful implementation of a major scientific conference, strengthened collaborations with other divisions and academic institutions such as the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), and the development of an electronic system to streamline ethics committee operations. He also acknowledged the onboarding of new staff, particularly deputy directors, and underscored the importance of internal engagement.
Looking ahead, he emphasized that for 2025, the division aims to align its activities with the Ghana Health Service’s overarching goals, enhance collaboration, and improve service delivery and efficiency.
Addressing participants, the Upper East Regional Director of Health, Dr. Samuel Kwabena Boakye-Boateng, reiterated the significance of the annual performance review meeting as a platform for assessing progress, identifying challenges, and strengthening research coordination.
“As the division responsible for organizing, coordinating, and supporting health research, our role is vital in ensuring that evidence-based research informs national and global health policies. This review not only allows us to reflect on our achievements but also provides an opportunity to enhance coordination among the three research centers,” he stated.
Dr. Boakye-Boateng further emphasized the importance of producing high-quality research that translates into actionable health policies. “Whatever research we do should actually solve problems in Ghana,” he urged.
One of the key sessions saw presentations from NHRC, KHRC, and DHRC, each outlining their achievements, implemented policies, completed and ongoing projects, challenges encountered and corresponding solutions. In a subsequent session, presentations were made by key HQ departments, including the Research Coordination Department, Ethics and Research Management Department, and the Documentation, Dissemination and Advocacy Department. Each session concluded with an engaging discussion on actionable steps for improvement.
The discussions and deliberations over the two days reinforced the RDD’s commitment to strengthening health research and its consequent contribution to Ghana’s health sector. As the division looks ahead, the insights gained from this meeting will serve as a foundation for more impactful research and policy formulation in the coming year.
The meeting concluded with closing remarks from Dr. Patrick Ansah, Director of NHRC, who expressed gratitude for the opportunity to host the event. He highlighted the significance of the discussions and stated NHRC’s willingness to host the next review meeting. “We are honored to have hosted this year’s performance review, and we would be much appreciative if the next meeting could also be held here at NHRC,” he remarked.