The University of Ghana Medical Center (UGMC) has commenced its fifth-anniversary celebrations by appealing to corporate Ghana for assistance in establishing its state-of-the-art in-patient Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) and clinical trials laboratories.
Dr. Darius Osei, the CEO of UGMC, emphasized the significance of this project, highlighting its potential to conduct trials safely in Ghana, adhering to international standards.
The establishment of a modern CTU would greatly contribute to Ghana’s progress by ensuring that medications prescribed for chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer are suitable for the population.
UGMC has solidified its position as a leader in healthcare excellence, both in Ghana and globally.
Dr. Osei underlined the institution’s commitment to research, aiming to introduce new treatments and medical devices that will enhance the health of Ghanaians and the global community.
“The UGMC has embraced this challenge by creating the Medical and Scientific Research Centre (MSRC), which seeks to perform the necessary clinical trials and other research to bring new treatments–local and foreign to Ghanaians.
“To achieve this goal, there is an urgent need for a state-of-the-art in-patient Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) and clinical trials laboratories where the trials will be performed safely to international standards,” he said.
During its fifth-anniversary celebrations, the University of Ghana Medical Center (UGMC) aims to raise funds for the establishment of the first-ever Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) in West Africa. Dr. Osei, the CEO, highlighted UGMC’s remarkable progress in patient care, training, and research over the past five years.
Notable achievements include reaching a mutually acceptable ownership structure with the Ghanaian government, activating Phase II of the project through a commercial agreement, and significant infrastructural developments such as acquiring an MRI machine and Angiogram. Other investments include constructing apartments for clinical staff, a biohazard waste treatment building, a waste dumpster shed, and acquiring advanced equipment for the Medical Training Simulation Center and specialized units.
UGMC has expanded its workforce from 130 to 1,300 staff members, increased its specialist clinics from three to 40, and successfully performed open-heart surgeries, brain surgeries, catheterizations, and laparoscopic surgeries.
Through infrastructure development, specialized training programs, cutting-edge research, strategic partnerships, and community engagement, UGMC has evolved into a leading academic medical center in Ghana.
Dr. Osei appeals to individuals and corporate organizations to support the initiative, enabling UGMC to continue providing quality healthcare in Ghana and Africa.
Professor George Kyei, the Director of Medical and Scientific Research at UGMC, emphasizes the significance of the CTU.
Once established, it will enable scientific trials on herbal medicine, allow cancer patients to undergo trials and laboratory tests locally, and bridge the gap in personalized cancer treatments based on patient genetics.
Training more personnel, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and trial coordinators, is crucial. A modern CTU at UGMC would facilitate this training and address the urgent need for skilled professionals in Ghana.
Significant progress has already been made, with a dedicated space in the clinical building allocated for a modern trials laboratory. UGMC has secured a partnership with MDS-Lancet-Cerba to support advanced analyzers, and approximately 1.5 million cedis have been raised to prepare the facility for the analyzers.