By Godfred A. Polkuu
Navrongo (U/E), July 25, GNA – The Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC) in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality of the Upper East Region has extended its services to the Builsa area.
“Now we are moving strongly into Builsa, we are making our presence felt in Builsa,” Dr Patrick Odum Ansah, the Director of the NHRC said at a durbar of Chiefs drawn from the Navrongo, Paga, Chiana and the Sandema Traditional Areas.
The durbar was to offer the Chiefs an update of research activities undertaken by the NHRC, in which the traditional rulers had over the years participated in and showed interest.
Dr Ansah indicated that the Centre had about three confirmed clinical trials, “We have about three trials which have been confirmed, and now we are beginning to even feel that Navrongo is overwhelmed.
“We are actively soliciting support to try and establish at least some offices and may be some laboratories in Builsa to enable us to take some of the trials there,” the Director said.
He said apart from the Builsa area, the Centre in its quest to target adjoining Districts, would also extend services to the Bongo District,
“We will be moving our expertise there to train people who come from those areas as well as any other person in Ghana who wants to be trained.”
Dr Ansah noted that the NHRC was one of the main capacity builders in clinical trials, noting that the Centre was known for excellence in Clinical trials,
“And I must say that many of our staff are poached to work in dollar jobs.
“In the past year alone, we lost about two or three of our clinical trial related team to firms that pay higher than we do. We need to expand our horizon and train more people, so that as and when they leave, we can get more people to join us.
“It will also give opportunities to the youth, so that when they complete school, they will not loiter around without any jobs,” Dr Ansah said.
He attributed the giant strides and successes by the NHRC over the years to the respect, trust and confidence members of the public, especially community members within the Municipality had in the Centre.
“NHRC is what it is because of our communities. The trust, the respect, and the goodwill they have for the research we do, and we will continue with the standards,” he assured.
The Sandem-Nab, Nab Azagsuk Azantilow, Paramount Chief of the Builsa Traditional Area, in a speech read on his behalf, appreciated activities of the NHRC, saying “The benefits are vast, and has brought great help and development to the Builsa Traditional Area.”
Nab Azantilow said the chiefs and people of the area were ready and would continue to support activities of the Centre to ensure it succeeded on Buluk land, and expressed gratitude to management of the NHRC for extending its services to the area.
GNA