The Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC) responded quickly when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a global health emergency, in January 2020.
The response was soon after the first regional meeting of stakeholders in the Upper East on the disease outbreak. There was pressure to devise realistic ways to tackle the threat when Ghana reported its first two cases on 12th March 2020, a day after the WHO declared COVID-19 as a pandemic. The Centre had to suspend some of its operations to respond to this national duty, as personnel braced up to help Ghana win the fight.
THE NHRC RESPONSE
After successfully mapping out the municipality and monitoring the response to the disease, the Centre provided two fueled pick-up trucks with accompanying drivers, to support the education drive and contact tracing for suspected cases in the Kassena-Nankana area. The NHRC provided funds to set up a holding centre for suspected coronavirus cases and procure logistics, including personal protection equipment (PPE), for case management and treatment at the War Memorial Hospital in Navrongo.
The Centre held weekly meetings with the management of the hospital to review and update the preparedness for the pandemic. It partnered with the Regional Health Directorate to train the district COVID-19 teams. The Centre provided technical advice on disease control and surveillance to the Health Team and the Rapid Response Team of the Kassena-Nankana Municipality.
In April 2020 a team from the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR), a leading COVID-19 testing centre, visited Navrongo to train staff to conduct COVID-19 tests. At the height of the pandemic, there was a need for more testing centres throughout the country. In response, the NHRC retooled the clinical laboratory as a facility for COVID-19 testing.
“In response, the NHRC restooled the clinical laboratory as a facility for the COVID-19 testing”
Following the retooling of the laboratory, new diagnostic machines for coronavirus were procured. The new machines included a new Real-Time PCR machine, the main tool used worldwide to diagnose COVID-19 infection. The equipment arrived just in time for the lockdown. A biosafety containment level II cabinet was installed, to ensure the safety of laboratory staff handling the virus. As a matter of national priority, the Centre pooled resources and expertise to support the national fight against the pandemic. After capacity- building for COVID-19 testing, the system was validated for the Centre to commence testing.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
The Centre received samples from the Upper East, North East and Upper West regions of the country. At the peak of the pandemic, the facility received more than 400 samples per day from all the sites. Testing was conducted on time and results were released to the appropriate quarters for further action.
Another critical role NHRC played in the fight against Coronavirus, was conducting COVID-19 vaccine trials. The Centre conducted two major vaccine trials to support the treatment of the disease. The trials included a Phase III, randomized, double-blind , placebo-controlled international clinical trial in parallel assignment to evaluate the efficacy, immunogenicity and safety of the Sputnik Light vaccine in adults, in the SARS-CoV-2 infection prophylactic treatment.
Another trial of importance is the Phase III, multi-stage, modified double-blind, multi-armed study to assess the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of two SARS- CoV-2 adjuvanted recombinant protein vaccine (monovalent and bivalent) for preventing COVID-19 in adults of 18 years and above. The Sputnik Light vaccine has since been approved for use as a safe and effective stand-alone one-shot vaccine, and a booster, against covid-19. Data available from the study indicated that the vaccine has over 80% efficacy against infection whilst efficacy against hospitalisation and severe disease is higher.
“In respect of national capacity for testing across the country, the pandemic has improved the ability of laboratories to test for diseases, using complex equipment”
MIXED BAG OF LESSONS
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a mixed bag of lessons and experiences for policymakers, the health sector and the general public. In respect of national capacity for testing across the country, the pandemic has improved the ability of laboratories to test for diseases, using complex equipment. For example, most laboratories can now test for COVID-19 using the Gene Xpert machine. There is, however, the need to improve the country’s capacity to handle similar outbreaks and pandemics in the future.