By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) of the University of Ghana has commissioned a new Sample Receipt Centre to strengthen laboratory services and biomedical research delivery in Ghana.
The commissioning ceremony was held in Accra, marking a significant milestone in the Institute’s efforts to enhance laboratory operations, streamline sample management and improve public health research outcomes.
Constructed with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) at a total cost of 190,000 US dollars, the facility was donated to NMIMR to improve the receiving, registration and storage of clinical and environmental samples.
According to Management, the new Centre provides secure and controlled spaces for handling samples, as well as waiting and sanitary areas designed to ensure sample integrity and traceability. The facility is expected to strengthen institutional capacity, promote efficiency in laboratory processes and support ongoing research activities aimed at improving public health outcomes.
Director of NMIMR, Prof. Dorothy Yeboah-Manu, said the Institute was identified as a beneficiary following a comprehensive assessment of its sample reception systems and environmental workflows. She explained that the restructuring addressed key areas including waiting spaces, sanitary facilities, safety measures, documentation and data management systems.
Prof. Yeboah-Manu noted that the Centre will significantly improve sample integrity and traceability by streamlining intake processes and strengthening documentation and ICT networks. She added that the improved infrastructure will enhance turnaround time for poliovirus investigations and environmental monitoring, which are critical under the Global Health Security Agenda.
She expressed gratitude to partners including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ghana Health Service, the Ministry of Health Ghana and other collaborators for their support, describing the project as a demonstration of shared commitment to safeguarding public health.
Provost of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Ghana, Prof. Alfred Edwin Yawson, said previously samples from across the country were received without a dedicated reception facility, posing operational challenges. He explained that following accreditation recommendations in 2024, the establishment of a proper sample reception centre became necessary.
Prof. Yawson noted that as an ISO 15189-accredited institution, NMIMR requires strict adherence to quality standards in sample handling. He said the new Centre represents the beginning of every diagnostic and research journey, enabling accurate classification, timely diagnosis and effective disease prevention.
The WHO Representative to Ghana, Dr. Fiona Braka, commended partners whose contributions made the project possible, including the Gates Foundation and technical partners involved in delivering the facility. She reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to supporting Ghana in strengthening laboratory capacity.
Dr. Braka emphasised the critical role strong laboratory systems play in detecting, confirming and responding swiftly to disease outbreaks. She highlighted the importance of resilient systems in the global effort to eradicate polio, noting that even a single suspected case requires meticulous laboratory confirmation.
She said the new Sample Receipt Centre will ensure that samples from across Ghana and neighbouring countries are received, managed and processed efficiently, strengthening not only polio surveillance but also the country’s capacity to monitor and respond to emerging health threats, including viral outbreaks and antimicrobial resistance.
Dr. Braka described well-equipped laboratories as a national, regional and global public good, adding that the inauguration of the facility represents not just the opening of a building, but a step toward building resilience in Ghana’s health system.
By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) of the University of Ghana has commissioned a new Sample Receipt Centre to strengthen laboratory services and biomedical research delivery in Ghana.
The commissioning ceremony was held in Accra, marking a significant milestone in the Institute’s efforts to enhance laboratory operations, streamline sample management and improve public health research outcomes.
Constructed with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) at a total cost of 190,000 US dollars, the facility was donated to NMIMR to improve the receiving, registration and storage of clinical and environmental samples.
According to Management, the new Centre provides secure and controlled spaces for handling samples, as well as waiting and sanitary areas designed to ensure sample integrity and traceability. The facility is expected to strengthen institutional capacity, promote efficiency in laboratory processes and support ongoing research activities aimed at improving public health outcomes.
Director of NMIMR, Prof. Dorothy Yeboah-Manu, said the Institute was identified as a beneficiary following a comprehensive assessment of its sample reception systems and environmental workflows. She explained that the restructuring addressed key areas including waiting spaces, sanitary facilities, safety measures, documentation and data management systems.
Prof. Yeboah-Manu noted that the Centre will significantly improve sample integrity and traceability by streamlining intake processes and strengthening documentation and ICT networks. She added that the improved infrastructure will enhance turnaround time for poliovirus investigations and environmental monitoring, which are critical under the Global Health Security Agenda.
She expressed gratitude to partners including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ghana Health Service, the Ministry of Health Ghana and other collaborators for their support, describing the project as a demonstration of shared commitment to safeguarding public health.
Provost of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Ghana, Prof. Alfred Edwin Yawson, said previously samples from across the country were received without a dedicated reception facility, posing operational challenges. He explained that following accreditation recommendations in 2024, the establishment of a proper sample reception centre became necessary.
Prof. Yawson noted that as an ISO 15189-accredited institution, NMIMR requires strict adherence to quality standards in sample handling. He said the new Centre represents the beginning of every diagnostic and research journey, enabling accurate classification, timely diagnosis and effective disease prevention.
The WHO Representative to Ghana, Dr. Fiona Braka, commended partners whose contributions made the project possible, including the Gates Foundation and technical partners involved in delivering the facility. She reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to supporting Ghana in strengthening laboratory capacity.
Dr. Braka emphasised the critical role strong laboratory systems play in detecting, confirming and responding swiftly to disease outbreaks. She highlighted the importance of resilient systems in the global effort to eradicate polio, noting that even a single suspected case requires meticulous laboratory confirmation.
She said the new Sample Receipt Centre will ensure that samples from across Ghana and neighbouring countries are received, managed and processed efficiently, strengthening not only polio surveillance but also the country’s capacity to monitor and respond to emerging health threats, including viral outbreaks and antimicrobial resistance.
Dr. Braka described well-equipped laboratories as a national, regional and global public good, adding that the inauguration of the facility represents not just the opening of a building, but a step toward building resilience in Ghana’s health system.
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