The University Health Services of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has launched its inaugural Research Week aimed at strengthening research capacity among staff and promoting data-driven approaches to patient care.
Chair of the In-Service Training Committee, Dr Eric Oduro, said the programme would give staff the opportunity to engage leading researchers and build skills that support future projects and collaborations.
“These presentations are not merely addresses. They are investments in our future publications, partnerships and innovations,” he said.
Director of University Health Services, Dr Nana Kwame Ayisi Boateng, described the launch as a significant milestone in the Service’s history and one that aligns closely with its long-term vision of excellence in patient-centred care and impactful research.
“Our vision recognises excellence, patient-centred care and research that is shaped by real needs and real data,” he said. “We sit on rich datasets, and promoting research means using that data to drive service innovation.”
Public health specialist Prof Ellis Owusu-Dabo said the theme of the Research Week underscores the need for healthcare delivery to be anchored in evidence.
“Advancing excellence in patient-centred care through research and innovation is a strategic imperative,” he said. “It requires us to rethink how we deliver healthcare, elevate performance and align clinical decisions with scientific evidence. Systems must be continually refined through study, grounded in data, responsive to context and strengthened through partnership.”
Other speakers at the workshop echoed the importance of research in modern healthcare.
Neurologist Prof Fred Stephen Sarfo highlighted the role of data transformation in service improvement, while Dr Nadia Naa Dedei Tagoe from the School of Public Health called for building the next generation of health researchers in the face of emerging diseases, COVID-19 aftershocks and an ageing population.
Paediatrician Prof Daniel Ansong stressed the value of evidence-based practice.
“Healthcare professionals must rely on evidence rather than intuition alone. Systematic research allows us to recommend treatments that have been proven effective,” he said.
The three-day Research Week will focus on developing staff skills in research methods, innovation, data use and evidence-based clinical practice.
KNUST-Ghana and West Africa’s number-one science and technology university, renowned worldwide for excellence in STEM education, innovation, research leadership, and unmatched quality in higher education.
