RDD-GHS

INTRODUCTION

GHANA HEALTH SERVICE (GHS) is a Public Service body established under Act 525 of 1996 as required by the 1992 constitution. It is an autonomous Executive Agency responsible for implementation of national health policies under the control of the Ghana Minister for Health through its governing Council - the Ghana Health Service Council.

The mandate of the GHS is to provide and prudently manage comprehensive and accessible health service with special emphasis on primary health care at regional, district and sub-district levels in accordance with approved national policies.

OBJECTIVES OF GHANA HEALTH SERVICE (GHS)

Implement approved national policies for health delivery in Ghana.
Increase access to good quality health services
Manage prudently resources available for the provision of the health services.

VISION & MISSION OF GHANA HEALTH SERVICE (GHS)

Mission: To promote good health and reduce illness. Also, to ensure access to good and affordable health care and pursue medical excellence.
Vision: To provide and manage accessible health services especially at the district and sub-district levels in accordance with approved national policies.

GOVERNANCE of GHANA HEALTH SERVICE (GHS)

GHS DIVISIONS

Under the Office of the Director-General are currently 11 divisions of the Ghana Health Service viz Public Health Division; Family Health Division; Health Promotion Division; Finance Division; Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division; Supplies, Stores and Drugs Management Division; Human Resources Division; Institutional Care Division; Internal Audit Division; Health Administration and Support Services Division; and THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION

BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION (RDD)

Ghana has a long tradition of medical research dating back to the early 1900s. The involvement of policy makers and programme implementors in research became more prominent in the 1980s prior to the establishment of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the antecedent unitary Ministry of Health established the Health Research Unit within the Policy Planning Monitoring and Evaluation Division (PPMED). The Health Research Unit was charged with the responsibility of coordinating research for the Ministry of Health(MoH).

Subsequently, three health research centres in Navrongo, Kintampo and Dodowa were set up in the three ecological zones of the country to undertake complex policy related research.

The creation of a Research and Development Division (RDD) as a stand-alone division from the PPMED became necessary to highlight the importance of Health Research and Development in the overall context of the country's developmental agenda. The main rationale for this is the fact that research is not only essential for policy formulation but also for programme implementation (operational and epidemiological), for service delivery and indeed every aspect of the health sector.

The RDD became functional in January 2009 with the aim to strengthen, harmonize, coordinate and support research for health sector policy and program development and implementation. It is to be guided by principles and a clear vision to help provide empirical findings for policy formulation to improve the health service delivery system in the country.

Further, the RDD is to generate information through relevant research to strengthen decision making, setting of health priorities, ensure efficient resource allocation, and inform intervention planning and implementation to deliver better health services to improve the health status of the Ghanaian population.

The Division is headed by a Director who is responsible for the overall coordination of the activities of the Division as well as overseeing the functioning of the various Departments and Centres under the Division. There are three departments and three research centres under the Division. Each Department and Research Centre is headed by a Deputy Director who reports to the Divisional Director. The Departments are Research Coordination; Dissemination, Documentation and Advocacy; and Ethics and Research Management (located at the Headquarters). The three Research Centres are strategically located in the main ecological zones of the Ghana � Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC) in the northern belt (Savannah), Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC) in the middle belt (Forest) and Dodowa Health Research Centre (DHRC) in the southern belt (Coastal).

Research as a tool for development is equally essential at the Regional and district levels of the Service. Therefore, RDD oversees/supports Health Research teams at the regional and district levels of service delivery to perform operational researches based on their own local needs to ensure efficient use of resources. The overarching goal is to ensure that all managers are equipped with the basic skills of operational research

MANDATE OF THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION (RDD)

The mandate of the Division is to strengthen, harmonize, coordinate, support research for the Health Sector Policy Program Development and Implementation

FUNCTIONS OF THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION (RDD)

Conduct research in line with National Health Research Agenda
Review Research Protocols for Scientific and Ethical compliance
Document & Disseminate health research findings for advocacy & policy
Build and Strengthen Health Research Capacity within GHS
Mobilize resource for health research in GHS
Collaborate with Divisions/Programmes for research activities
Organize National Health Research Dissemination Forum