Editorial

No Abstrac

Editorial - Emergency medicine in Ghana

No Abstrac

Changing landscape of public health and medical education curriculum

The landscape of public health in many sub-Saharan African countries has been changing rapidly over the past few decades. Marked changes have been seen in the demographic structure of populations, economics, lifestyle changes, social upheavals (war and migration) and these have impacted disease patterns

Editorial

Additional Editorial Board members The Ghana Medical Journal extends a special welcome to new members appointed to the Editorial Board. Themembers are to complement the work of the current membership of the Board

Professor Jacob Plange-Rhule

The usual quiet morning of Good Friday, April 10, 2020, was shattered by the spreading news of the death of Professor Jacob Plange-Rhule. For many persons the news elicited sentiments of grief and outpouring of statements on the good natureof the third Rector of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons. Even though he died at the age of 62 years, his footprints will remain in several places where his feet hath trod in academia, medical education, medical ‘politics’, golf andfamily life

Professor Rudolph Darko

Professor Rudolph Darko was born on April 5 1948 and passed away on February 23 2020. He was a general surgeon with a particular interest in gastroenterology and gastrointestinal endoscopy.At the time of his demise Professor Darko was an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, University of Ghana School of Medicine. He took up his teaching appointment in 1989 as a Lecturer and General Surgical specialist

COVID-19 pandemic response in Ghana: more to be done

COVID-19, which emerged in December 2019 and was declared a pandemic in March 2020, has come at a heavy health, economic and social cost to many nations. There have been global efforts to find solutions to both the pandemic and its problems. As a result of unprecedented intense research and development during the pandemic, a better understanding has emerged of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the disease it causes – COVID-19, its epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical management, as well as prevention solutions. However, many questions are yet to be answered, including the role of new variants of the virus in the fight against COVID-19

Ghana and the COVID-19 pandemic

A new virus causing predominantly respiratory tract infection was described in China late 2019. The virus was subsequently named the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the disease it causes as COVID-19. Subsequently the virus spread to many parts of the world. This resulted in the World Health Organisation declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic on 11th March 2020

Which health research gets used and why? An empirical analysis of 30 cases

Background: While health research is considered essential for improving health worldwide, it remains unclear how it is best organized to contribute to health. This study examined research that was part of a Ghanaian-Dutch research program that aimed to increase the likelihood that results would be used by funding research that focused on national research priorities and was led by local researchers. The aim of this study was to map the contribution of this research to action and examine which features of research and translation processes were associated with the use of the results. Methods: Using Contribution Mapping, we systematically examined how 30 studies evolved and how results were used to contribute to action. We combined interviews with 113 purposively selected key informants, document analysis and triangulation to map how research and translation processes evolved and contributions to action were realized. After each case was analysed separately, a cross-case analysis was conducted to identify patterns in the association between features of research processes and the use of research. Results: The results of 20 of the 30 studies were used to contribute to action within 12 months. The priority setting and proposal selection process led to the funding of studies which were from the outset closely aligned with health sector priorities. Research was most likely to be used when it was initiated and conducted by people who were in a position to use their results in their own work. The results of 17 out of 18 of these user-initiated studies were translated into action. Other features of research that appeared to contribute to its use were involving potential key users in formulating proposals and developing recommendations. Conclusions: Our study underlines the importance of supporting research that meets locally-expressed needs and that is led by people embedded in the contexts in which results can be used. Supporting the involvement of health sector professionals in the design, conduct and interpretation of research appears to be an especially worthwhile investment

A multi-center prospective cohort study to evaluate the effect of differential pricing and health systems strengthening on access to medicines and management of hypertension and diabetes in Ghana: A study protocol [version 2; referees: 3 approved]

Background: There is evidence to suggest that the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), in particular cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, are being recognized as forming a substantial proportion of the burden of disease among populations in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).  Access to treatment is likely a key barrier to the control and prevention of NCD outcomes.  Differential pricing, an approach used to price drugs based on the purchasing power of patients in different socioeconomic segments, has been shown to be beneficial and leads to improved access and affordability. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study, with a pragmatic trial design, to be conducted over the course of three years. A mixed methods design will be used to evaluate the effects of health systems strengthening and differential pricing on the management of diabetes, hypertension and selected cancers in Ghana. A public private partnership was established between all sites that will receive multi-level interventions, including health systems strengthening  and access to medicines interventions. Study populations and sites: Study participants will include individuals with new or previously diagnosed hypertension and diabetes (n=3,300), who present to two major referral hospitals, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Tamale Teaching Hospital, as well as three district hospitals, namely Kings Medical Centre, Agogo Presbyterian District Hospital, and Atua Government Hospital. Discussion: The objective of this study aims to test approaches intended to improve access to drugs for the treatment of hypertension and diabetes, and improve disease control. Patients with these conditions will benefit from health systems strengthening interventions (education, counseling, improved management of disease), and increased access to innovative medicines via differential pricing. Pilot programs also will facilitate health system strengthening at the participating institutions, which includes training of clinicians and updating of guidelines and production of protocols for the treatment of diabetes, hypertension and cancer