*The Trainees with dignitaries at the opening session.
The West African Centre
for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) at the University of Ghana,
in collaboration with the National Catholic Health Service (NCHS) has organised
a training Workshop for Biomedical Scientists from some of the Catholic Health
Facilities in the country.
The programme which aims
at building the capacity of the Biomedical Scientists, is geared towards
equipping the skills of the Scientists, as part of efforts to improve quality healthcare
delivery in the country.
Dr. Lydia Mosi, Head of
Department of the Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, University of
Ghana, noted the essence of scientific research and its contribution to the
general improvement of healthcare delivery in the country, and highlighted the
opportunities available for candidates who wish to pursue further studies.
She urged the trainees to
take advantage of the opportunities available at the school to upgrade and
update themselves.
Prof. Gordon A. Awandare,
Director of WACCBIP, in an address called on government to support more
Ghanaian students desirous of pursuing further studies in the sciences to come
to WACCBIP, which is equally accredited to run competitive Masters and PhD
programmes compared to any international University.
He noted the
need to support from government and industry to augment the cost of training
high quality Scientists in the country who would help bring out innovative
through research in the industry and in country at large.
Prof.
Awandare explained the Centre’s focus as that of skill training, with funding
from a World Bank facility through the Government of Ghana, adding that his
gratitude for the Catholic Church’s interest in what the Centre was offering.
As one the World Bank’s
African Centres of Excellence (ACE), he said WACCBIP’s mandate was to improve
diagnosis, prevention and control of infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa,
through the provision of advanced level training and research excellence on the
cell and molecular biology infectious pathogens.
Mr. George Adjei,
Director of the NCHS in an address, described the training programme as a
special boost to healthcare delivery at the NCHS.
Saying that “you have a
rare opportunity to learn” Mr. Adjei urged the trainees to be on top of their
act, since their work was crucial in clinical diagnosis and the general health
delivery.
He also thanked WACCBIP
for their collaboration to train the Biomedical Scientists from the various
Catholic Health Institutions.
Rev.
Fr. Wisdom Larweh, Assistant Secretary General at the National Catholic
Secretariat, in commending WACCBIP on behalf of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’
Conference, urged Biomedical Scientists to
recognise the objective truth in preserving the well-being and health of human
beings in the discharge of their duties.
“The ultimate aim of every research activity in this
field must be for the integral good of man” Fr. Lawerh stressed, noting that
“efforts in biomedical research must fully respect every person's inalienable
dignity, his right to life and his substantial physical integrity”.
He commended the efforts of thousands
of doctors and researchers and particularly of the Department and WACCBIP, who,
generously dedicated their energies daily in serving the suffering and in the
treatment of pathologies.
He expressed the support of the Church in the efforts in biomedical science and to encourage
worthy standards of health and life for the people.
Dr. Raphael Adu-Gyamfi, of
the NCHS, in a presentation on Clinical Practice to Research: Diagnostic and
Healthcare, called on Biomedical Scientists to work collaboratively with other diagnostic
team to reduce diagnostic errors.
He said since the
diagnostic testing plays a major role in the diagnostic process, which is at
the heart of healthcare delivery, there was need for research which is key to
reduce diagnostic errors and improving the diagnostic process.
Similarly, Mr. Victor
Letsa, WACCBIP Fellow, stressed the essence for Biomedical Scientists to
research, during his presentation on Clinical Practice to Research: Diagnostic
and Healthcare.
The Workshop which
brought together over 25 Biomedical Scientists from Catholic Health facilities
across the country was aimed at improving the practitioners’ skills with latest
trends in the Biomedical practices and how to effectively diagnose infections
and research.
The workshop, the first
between the University and the NHCS will be organised in two sessions: first
session in January and the other in June for the trainees.
The WACCBIP was
established in 2013, led by faculty from the Department of Biochemistry, Cell
and Molecular Biology (BCMB) and Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical
Research (NMIMR) at the University of Ghana, Legon.
