Dr Patrick Odum Ansah, the Director of the Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC), lauded Navrongo, the capital of the Kassena-Nankana Municipal in the Upper East Region, as one of the most hospitable towns for research endeavours. He emphasized the long-standing relationship between the residents of Navrongo and researchers from the NHRC, citing the town's familiarity and comfort with the centre's impressive track record in research over the years.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency during the two-day annual scientific review meeting of the Centre, Dr Ansah highlighted the theme of the event, “Exploring the synergies between health research and academia for development and excellence in tertiary education.” He underscored the importance of collaboration between research institutions and academia in addressing contemporary challenges and driving innovation and development.
Dr. Ansah outlined the NHRC's expansion efforts to extend its research services beyond Navrongo to the Bongo, Builsa North, and Builsa South Districts. He emphasized the ethical principle of involving a broader population in research endeavours, stating that the distribution of the research burden among diverse communities ensures greater utility and inclusivity.
Furthermore, Dr. Ansah expressed the NHRC's aspirations to expand its research activities to the Northeast and Savannah Regions, contingent upon securing adequate funding. He emphasized the positive impact of such expansions on healthcare systems, knowledge dissemination, and community health outcomes.
Professor James Akazili, the Keynote Speaker at the event, echoed the importance of collaboration between research centres and academia in addressing global challenges. He emphasized the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation to tackle complex issues such as climate change, global health crises, and resource allocation.
In conclusion, both Dr. Ansah and Professor Akazili emphasized the critical role of research centres and academia in driving innovation, knowledge production, and solutions-oriented collaboration to address the challenges of the modern world.