KHRC RECEIVES DONATION FROM Navrongo Health Research Centre: Institutional Review Board(NHRCIRB)

The Institutional Ethics Committee unit of KHRC (KHRCIEC)last Tuesday 28th November, 2006 received a computer, its accessories and a filing cabinet donated by NHRCIRB. on behalf of European and Developing Countries Trials Partnership (EDCTP).

Making the donation, the NHRCIRB administrator, Paulina Tindana explained that following the programme of work of NHRCIRB, a survey on needs assessment was conducted among local ethics committees in Ghana. The purpose was to ascertain first hand information on the constraints and challenges ethics committees were faced with in the conduct of their duties. According to the NHRCIRB administrator, it was clear at the end of the survey that among other things, ethics committees lacked office equipment such as computers and accessories, and office space. Consequently, a proposal was submitted to the European and Developing Countries Trials Partnership (EDCTP) for the provision of computers and accessories. The application was successful and the computers and accessories were provided. The package for KHRCIEC included; a DELL desktop computer (Flat screen), printer, Uninterruptible Power Supply system (UPS) and a filing cabinet. The items were on display for members.

The administrator added that following this first phase of their programme of work, a second phase is being planned to hold a national workshop of all local ethics groups in the 2nd week of February, 2007. The aim is to start the task of coordinating major activities of all six (6) local ethics committees in Ghana, with the ultimate aim of developing common standard operating procedures for all ethics committees.

Responding to this commendable gesture from the NHRCIRB administrator, the vice chairman of KHRCIEC (Dr. Sam Newton) expressed appreciation for the effort from NHRCIRB, especially Paulina and encouraged her to continue with the good works.

On behalf of KHRC, the director added his bit of showing appreciation and declared that he was challenged as the head of the centre to provide decent office space for the ethics secretariat and indicated his support to facilitate members to attend the proposed national workshop. He also highlighted the importance of coordinating the activities of all local ethics committees in Ghana.

As at the time this event was being posted on the web, the administrator of KHRCIEC confirmed that decent office space has been made available to the ethics secretariat and the computer and accessories are running smoothly. Thanks to the director and staff of KHRC.