There are about 249 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Ghana. The country of the clinical trial is determined by the location of where the clinical research is being studied. Most studies are often held in multiple locations & countries.
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of combining vitamin A (VA), zinc (Z) and multivitamins (MV- A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D and E) on malaria morbidity
This cohort event monitoring will document real-life safety experiences following the intake of Injectable AS. Specifically, the study will record common adverse events that are associated with the use of Inj. AS and associating factors such as age and gender that make some of these events more likely. The sample size of 3000 patients will enable the documentation of causally-related events that occur at frequencies of 1 in 1000 or more. Since quinine, the previous gold standard for treating severe malaria may still be used by facilities in addition to artesunate and artemether, the study will concurrently monitor the safety of these products though focus of the study is the capture of adverse events following exposure to Inj. AS. The concurrent monitoring of both quinine and artemether will also enable treatment practices in the study areas to be documented.
The study is a pragmatic cluster randomized trial that is being conducted in 5 countries, with sites in 4 cities in Canada, Benin, Ghana, Indonesia and Vietnam. The unit of randomization is the health facility (24 health facilities randomized). The trial tests a complex intervention-a two phase programmatic public health package which includes a standardized public health evaluation and analysis, to identify problems and barriers limiting Latent Tuberculosis Infection diagnosis and treatment among close contacts of active Tuberculosis cases. This will be followed by implementation of appropriate solutions and strengthening of the LTBI clinical program. The primary objective will be to estimate the increase the number of household contacts initiating LTBI treatment per newly diagnosed index patient, within 3 months of diagnosis of the index patient. A secondary objective is to evaluate the cost effectiveness of this two phase intervention. If successful, this approach can be expanded throughout these countries. After initial preparations, including administrative and ethical review, all participating sites will be randomized to intervention or control. Immediately after this, Phase 1 will begin in intervention sites with the standardized public health evaluation to identify barriers to LTBI diagnosis and treatment initiation and the selection of solutions to be used in Phase 2. To ensure standardization of data gathering research staff will use (i) current indicators of the Latent Tuberculosis Infection cascade of care in intervention facilities (number of contacts per index case registered, investigated, started on treatment and completing treatment) and (ii) interviewer administered questionnaires for patients with active pulmonary Tuberculosis, adult and child household contacts and clinic staff. These questionnaires will assess latent Tuberculosis-related knowledge, attitudes and beliefs from the perspective of these different participants. Results from intervention sites in Phase 1 will be analyzed, and used by the investigators, together with local public health officials, to decide on appropriate corrective solutions in each sites. Contact Investigation registries will also be developed with research staff from sites. In Phase 2, solutions for problems identified will be selected and implemented at the intervention sites, Contact Investigation registries will be implemented and clinical training will be provided to strengthen LTBI health care worker knowledge and clinical programs. Study outcomes and costs will be measured at all intervention and control sites throughout Phase 1 & 2. The main study will run for 18 months. Upon completion of the main study, a 1 year cross over study will be conducted where control sites will receive a streamlined version of the intervention and original intervention sites will be used to evaluate the sustainability of the intervention. Results will be disseminated within each country through existing links with National Tuberculosis Programs, and through international organizations such as the World Health Organization.
Optimal infant and young child feeding practices are largely inadequate in rural and poor households in Ghana. Child welfare clinics (CWCs) focus on immunization, supplementation, and growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) activities among infants and young children (IYC). An essential component of GMP activities is to counsel mothers to practice optimal IYC feeding and health practices, but most of the time this is completely missing or not specific enough to be effective. This study will test the effect of a mass media nutrition education program on caregiver infant and young child feeding knowledge, attitudes and practices using a community-based cluster randomized design. Formative research will first be undertaken to determine the beliefs, attitudes, and constraints that prevent caregivers from adequately feeding their infants and young children with members of the community (caregivers with children under-five, men and elderly women).The information gathered will then be used to design specific messages that directly address the IYC feeding challenges of the community. Clusters will be randomized into active (radio messages with in-person engagement and follow-up) and passive (only radio messages) arms of the intervention. Farm Radio International (implementers of the mass media programming) will ensure the regular broadcast of twice weekly messages for a period of about 12-18 months.
The proposed study is a prospective cohort study in which a select group of emergency physicians at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Ghana will be trained in cardiopulmonary ultrasound (CPUS). Following the training, patients who present to the ED with undifferentiated shock and/or dyspnea will either receive usual and customary care supplemented with cardiopulmonary ultrasonography-guided diagnosis and treatment during their initial resuscitation, or usual and customary care alone depending on whether the treating physician has received CPUS training. The main outcomes is the impact of CPUS on correct diagnosis. Information regarding initial treatment strategies, diagnoses and 24-hour mortality will be collected via manual review of paper charts and medical records.
Helicobacter pylori is a common bacterial infection. It can lead to severe stomach problems, including stomach cancer. Researchers want to look at samples of the bacteria. These H. pylori strains will be taken from chronically infected people. They want to identify the genetic and epigenetic differences in H. pylori strains. This could help predict which people who get infected with the bacteria will get stomach cancer. This could lead to the cancer being detected earlier. It could also mean less people get stomach cancer. Objectives: To study genetic variations of H. pylori strains based on samples from chronically infected people. To identify the features of strains that might lead to severe stomach problems or stomach cancer. Eligibility: People ages 30-70 years who need an upper endoscopy or who were recently diagnosed with stomach cancer Design: Participants will be screened by the doctor who does their procedure and a study nurse. Participants who have endoscopy will have ~6 biopsies removed. These are tissue samples. They are about the size of a grain of rice. Participants will allow the study team to access reports from their stomach exam. Participants with stomach cancer will donate some of the tissue that will be removed during their clinical care. They will allow the study team to access reports of their surgery. They will also allow them to access the microscope slides of their stomach.
Assessing the effect of neglected tropical diseases on Plasmodium falciparum transmission in an area of co endemicity.
This study is to gather information on school feeding programs and to measure the effect on linear growth and cognitive performance when providing a high-quality milk protein source or a combination of a high-quality milk protein source and rice proteins as a nutritional supplement to school children in Ghana. Children will receive a meal with a protein powder supplement with vitamins and minerals mixed into it. Participation is expected to last for 9 months. 1200 Children aged 6-7 years attending school will be enrolled throughout twenty primary schools (60 per school). Participants will be randomized to one of four groups: Control: Vitamins/minerals-200 mg premix contain the required micronutrients as per UNICEF recommendations. For groups 1-3 the same vitamin/mineral mix will be used along with Group 1. Vitamins/minerals + Milk Protein (8.75 g)-the milk protein is a skim milk powder with the sugar lactose. Group 2. Vitamins/minerals + Milk/plant Protein (8.75g)-the milk protein is a skim milk protein powder and the plant protein is a rice protein concentrate and the sugar lactose. Group 3. Vitamins/minerals + Milk Protein (4.38g)-the milk protein is a skim milk protein powder with the sugar lactose. At baseline measurements-weight,height,mid-upper arm circumference,and body composition will be taken, fasting blood spot test will be administered to measure levels of Insulin and insulin like growth factor and other metabolic test, and computer based cognitive testing. Demographic information will be collected along with a dietary survey. Primary outcomes are cognitive performance on standardized tests and change in height-for-age z-score over the supplementation period, 9 months total. Questionnaires will be administered to collect demographic data and dietary information. At the mid-point all measurements will be taken again and cognitive testing will be repeated. At the end of the study all measurements will be taken again, cognitive testing repeated, blood spot samples taken again, and a short survey will be administered about the protein powders.
Rice can only be fortified with ferric pyrophosphate (FePP), which is of low bioavailability in human subjects. Compounds such as citric acid/trisodium citrate (CA/TSC) or sodium ethylene-diamine tetraacetic-acid (EDTA) could serve as absorption enhancers. Recent findings from single meal studies indicate CA/TSC to have an enhancing effect on iron absorption from FePP-fortified rice. In contrast, ZnO has been suggested to have detrimental effects. Furthermore, in vitro findings suggest an increased iron solubility from iron and EDTA-co-fortified rice - but the bioavailability in humans remains to be investigated. These effects should thus be investigated in 'real-life' conditions, when fortified rice is implemented in a complete diet administered throughout several days in a target population for a rice fortification program. Objective: To assess iron absorption from the diet from different iron fortified rice formulations in iron deficient anaemic children. The investigators aim to conduct an iron absorption study in 30 Ghanaian school-age children investigating different fortification approaches in a multiple meal randomized, cross over study.
The purpose of this study is to assess the immunogenicity, safety, and reactogenicity of the SB257049 candidate malaria vaccine when co-administered with Vitamin A, measles, rubella and yellow fever vaccines to children aged 6 months at the first vaccination.