Abstract
In March 2020, the first cases of SARS-CoV-2 were reported in Accra, Ghana. These initial cases were diagnosed at the Advanced Research Laboratories (ARL) of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), University of Ghana. The ARL which hitherto was used for routine clinical research in viral, bacteria and immunological studies has since been the facility of choice for testing for all suspected cases of COVID-19 submitted from across Ghana and beyond. The success of testing at the ARL hinged on the availability of several laboratory spaces furnished with state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and working aids. During the “peak season” where overwhelming numbers of clinical specimens were received, the ARL processed and got results for close to four thousand samples daily. After general disinfection and re-bagging into smaller numbers, at the entrance of the ARL, the samples are taken to a central receiving laboratory, where they are received and entered in a database with accompanying case investigation forms. All samples that are successfully sorted and matched are sent to general laboratories for nucleic acid extraction and then referred to the Instrumentation laboratory for real time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). When the RT-PCRs were completed, results were analysed and transmitted via email and/or local network to the data reporting office. The data managers then reported results to the investigators and the Ghana Health Service (GHS). Additionally, the ARL provided a next-generation Genome Sequencing platform in partnership with the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens at the University of Ghana, which was essential in reporting the genome data of the circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2 in Ghana. Conclusively, it is worth noting, that the NMIMR fulfilled its mandate of supporting the country with specialized diagnostics through the judicious use of the ARL for SARS-CoV-2 testing, from sample receipt to data reporting. The ARL facility and the research faculty have trained and continue to train budding laboratories on biosafety, biosecurity, best practices and testing protocols. It is obvious that the success story of SARS-CoV-2 testing in Ghana, cannot be complete without the mention of the ARL at NMIMR.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic which has claimed nearly four million lives and increased morbidity in the last year, continues to live with many communities [1] [2]
The Advanced Research Laboratories (ARL) which hitherto was used for routine clinical research in viral, bacteria and immunological studies has since been the facility of choice for testing for all suspected cases of COVID-19 submitted from across Ghana and beyond
It is obvious that the general success of SARS-CoV-2 testing in Ghana owes to the investment of resources into facilities such as the ARL at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), with state-of-the-art equipment for biomedical research
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic which has claimed nearly four million lives and increased morbidity in the last year, continues to live with many communities [1] [2]. SARS-CoV-2 testing was initially done in academic research centres in Ghana because the national reference laboratories were inadequately equipped [1] [6] [9] [10]. Ghana has tested estimated one million and two hundred thousand samples, as at end of April 2021, since the first tests conducted in March 2020 Trained health practitioners and laboratory personnel were dispatched daily to these holding facilities to collect respiratory specimen which were brought to NMIMR for testing While this was being done, cases of community transmission which had been reported necessitated the need for contact tracing. This subsequently reduced drastically the load of paper CI forms that cluttered sections of the ARL
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