Ghana Armed Forces Launches First The Chief of Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), Major General Joseph Prince Osei-Owusu, announced that the GAF medical service is committed to promoting evidence-based practices to enhance healthcare delivery within its facilities and across the country.
He emphasized that integrating the best available evidence into healthcare design would lead to optimal health outcomes.
Major General Osei-Owusu made these remarks while representing the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah, at the launch of the inaugural GAF Medical Service Scientific Conference, held at the 37 Military Hospital Officers Mess in Accra.
Themed “Breaking Boundaries: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Health Research,” the event attracted high-ranking officials from the GAF and the 37 Military Hospital.
The conference featured poster presentations showcasing 53 research projects across various medical fields, including mental health, obstetrics and gynecology, quality assurance, chronic infectious diseases, radiology, urology, surgery, microbiology, preventive medicine, and postgraduate education.
Major General Osei-Owusu noted that the public health division of the 37 Military Hospital has evolved into a complex interdisciplinary field focused on preventive health for the GAF.
He expressed hope that the conference would foster collaboration among health professionals, policymakers, industry leaders, and academics, ultimately improving the well-being of military personnel and the wider population.
Dr. Philip Nyinaku, Second in Command of the Public Health Division at the 37 Military Hospital, explained that the conference aimed to showcase innovative research conducted within the GAF healthcare system and beyond.
He encouraged healthcare professionals to engage in evidence-based practice, highlighting its role in enhancing professional standards and addressing unprofessionalism in healthcare delivery.
Dr. Nyinaku also mentioned ongoing efforts to promote evidence-based research through the annual or biannual distribution of newsletters and digital publications.
He called for corporate sponsorship to support evidence-based research, asserting that collaboration could help showcase critical findings and improvements in healthcare.
“To achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030, we must prioritize research to enhance our preventive health strategies,” he stated.
In her welcome address, Captain (General) Harriet Manu, Officer-in-Charge of the Public Health Division at the 37 Military Hospital, emphasized that the conference provides networking opportunities and lays the groundwork for future collaborative research efforts.
