The Ministry of Health says it is developing a framework to enhance collaboration between researchers and policy makers.

As a first step, a technical working group drawn from all health research institutions will be constituted to spearhead the coordination.

Acting Director of Research, Statistics and Information Management, Dr. Reginald Nii Odai, announced this in Kumasi at an event to mark to mark the 20th anniversary of Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine.

According to Dr Nii Odai the move will provide unique opportunity to get people from different backgrounds to work toward a common vision.

He bemoans Ghana’s dependence on external missions to address the country’s health care needs, but said the situation can be changed only when researchers make their findings and recommendations available for implementation.

“We hope to continue to receive not only basic research output but also implementation of research within our context,” he emphasized.

The Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine conducts studies into tropical diseases in a multidisciplinary approach.

It was jointly established by the Ministry of Health, KNUST Medical School, and Bernhard Noct Institute for Tropical Medicine of Germany.

With state-of-the art facilities, the centre has a core staff of about 50 and a little over 150 project staff.

Immediate past Scientific Director, Professor Ellis Owusu-Dabo is unhappy about low collaboration between local scientists.

He, particularly, wants enhanced capacity of local scientists to undertake research locally instead of travel outside at high cost.

“There is still limited capacity on part of Ghanaian scientists leading to both the analysis of bio and scientific data outside the country.” He said.

Dr. Owusu-Dabo mentioned the training of scientists in critical areas of national life as part of strategies to improve KCCR’s image.

Other areas of consideration include dissemination of published works from peer-reviewed journals.

Otumfuo’s Mawarehene, Baffour Osei Brentuo Hyiaman the fifth, represented the Asantehene.

He encouraged private individuals and corporate bodies to support research institutions to augment government effort.

He also charges the centre to focus on re-emerging diseases in Africa.

“Africa is bedeviled with many health needs and problems. Your sustained interest at ensuring that these problems are resolved through evidence-based research will leave remarkable, indelible imprint in history,” he emphasized.