UGMC to establish a unit for the trial of medicines

The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) will build up a clinical trials division and laboratory for the nation’s clinical testing of innovative pharmaceuticals.

The institution would complete the entire process of evaluating the efficacy of medications, including local rather than South African analysis of pertinent blood samples.

The facility, which is anticipated to begin operations in the following year, will be the first in both the nation and the sub-region of West Africa.

This was revealed yesterday in Accra at the UGMC’s fifth-anniversary launch, which also served as a $5 million fundraiser for the trials unit.

Dr. Darius Osei, the chief executive officer of the UGMC, made a plea to private citizens and corporate entities to help the center finance the project.

“South Africa is where the majority of drug clinical trials are conducted.

We wish to establish the facility here because we don’t have any in the sub-region.

“Most samples by the time they get to South Africa are not viable, but if we have it here, we have the opportunity to do our own trials, and the majority of drug manufacturers could use the samples to manufacture medicines that are suitable for our environment,” he said.

The CEO claimed that because such drugs have undergone testing someplace, the majority of people do not respond to them.

Achievements

In the last five years, the center, according to Dr. Osei, has advanced and established itself as a premier facility for top-notch patient treatment, education, and research.

He listed some of its accomplishments, such as the government and the University of Ghana’s agreement on a shared ownership structure; improved infrastructure development; and numerous open-heart operations, brain surgeries, and catheterizations of both adults and children.

Other examples include laparoscopic procedures, MRI services, dental care, and the opening of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, the second-largest cardiothoracic center in the nation.

“The UGMC has been transformed into a leading academic medical center in the country through our focus on infrastructure development, specialized training programs, cutting-edge research initiatives, strategic partnerships, and community engagement,” he continued.

Ineffective drugs

Prof. George Boateng Kyei, Director of Medical and Scientific Research at UGMC, claimed that several blood pressure medications were ineffective in black people because the early studies for such treatments were conducted on Europeans or Americans rather than blacks.

According to him, Africa should be at the forefront of trials since it has greater genetic diversity than the rest of the globe.

The center, according to the director, had satisfied with both of the requirements for conducting trials: a designated area on a ward, an international standard organization, and a certified laboratory.

“Once this laboratory is completed, it will aid in avoiding the scenario where samples are taken and shipped to South Africa.

It returns in two weeks and is no longer helpful to the doctor.

Therefore, we must be able to accomplish these things here, he said.

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