The UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC), a member-based trade association that promotes bilateral trade between the UK and Ghana, has raised funds to support the establishment of a clinical trials unit at the University of Ghana Medical Centre. The UKGCC raised the funds while commemorating the first Royal Ascot Ladies Day Event in Ghana at the Polo Court Gardens, Accra.
Ascot, one of Britain’s most well-known racecourses, holds a special week of races in June each year called the Royal Ascot, attended by Her Majesty the Queen. This week has become Britain’s most popular race meeting, welcoming over 300,000 visitors all dressed in their finest attire.
The UKGCC’s version of the Ladies Day, co-hosted by Ace presenter and radio and Television personality, Nathaniel Attoh, and Ghanaian actress, Sika Osei, paid homage to this iconic British tradition.
As a charity fundraiser, all proceeds from ticket and raffle sales will be donated to the UNIVERSITY OF GHANA MEDICAL CENTRE (UGMC) MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH CENTRE (MSRC) FUND RAISING COMMITTEE.
Executive Director of the UKGCC, Adjoba Kyiamah, remarked that “The UGMC MSRC was chosen because given the backdrop of the recent global pandemic, now more than ever, we need more clinical trials in our country to help identify the best treatment for diseases in our environment. The UGMC’s work, in undertaking research, will discover new treatments, methods and procedures to improve the health status of Ghanaians, Africans and the world and so we must support their efforts.”
Dr. Chris Owoo, Clinical Lead, Ghana Infectious Disease Centre, Ga East and member of the UGMC MSRC Board, expressed gratitude to the UKGCC for organising the charity fundraiser and added that as the first purpose built clinical trials centre in Ghana, the unit will research both foreign and locally manufactured (including plant-based) drugs.
“The opportunity to invest in the health of our present and our future population is now and what we do at the moment will determine where we will be when we have another pandemic or other disease conditions that continue to plague us”.
He appealed to other organisations and individuals to support the establishment of the centre, slated to be completed by the end of this year, and drive the change the country needs.
The 1st Royal Ascot Ladies Day Experience in Ghana concluded on a high note with memorable highlights that included