The Ghana Hub of the NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery in collaboration with the Ghana Surgical Research Society, The Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Ghana Chapter of West Africa College of Surgeons on August 19, 2023, organized a Medical and Dental Council accredited CPD (3 points) research dissemination Workshop on the theme: “Surgical Site Infections: The nemesis of modern day surgery”.

The workshop also provided a platform for the dissemination of the findings from CHEETAH trials.

CHEETAH is an international, multicentre, 2-arm, cluster randomised controlled trial with an internal pilot, to evaluate the use of separate sterile gloves and instruments at the time of wound closure to reduce SSI rates in patients undergoing surgery with an abdominal incision.

Participants at the workshop included health workers in surgical pathways including surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, as well as perioperative nurses.

Other guests included Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, the Presidential Advisor on Health, Prof. John Nkrumah-Mills, the Immediate past president of the Ghana  College of Physicians and Surgeons, Prof. Afua Hesse, the President, of the Accra School of Medicine, Prof. Samuel Debrah the President of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Charles Dally the Head of Department, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, and Prof. Stephen Tabiri, the Dean of the UDS School of Medicine.

The keynote speaker, the President of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, Prof. Samuel Debrah, focused much of his attention on, and highlighted issues concerning the global burden of surgical diseases, the global incidence rate of surgical site infections as well as the hospital-based rates available for Ghana. He suggested that novel ways of addressing the burden of SSI’s must be developed with alacrity in order to prevent surgical site infections. Prof Debrah recommended thchanging of surgical gloves and instruments at the time of wound closure as part of measures to prevent SSI’s.

Dr Napoleon Sam of the University for Development Studies (UDS) Department of Medical Research and Innovation,  presented the results of the CHEETAH trial and implementation in Ghana. Professors Aneel and Dimitri also shared their thoughts on the CHEETAH trial results.

There were other presentations on the cost of surgical Site Infection in Ghana, Community Engagements and involvement in the Hub, the role of CEI in the research cycle, as well as the terminologies participation, engagement, and involvement.

Resources developed following engagements with surgical patients and their relatives on stoma care were shared with the audience. Plans of using them as training resources for communities and non-stoma specialist nurses were shared.

Citations were presented to three people for their contributions and dedications towards NIHR- Global Surgery research activities: Dr. Joshua Arthur, Dr Emmanuel Owusu Ofori and Ms. Jane Acquaye respectively. Another citation was presented to Dr Eseenam Agbeko, as the 2023 best candidate, Fellow of the West  African College of Surgeons.

Story by:
Abdur-Razak Ali Dambo (UDS Media)