An Impactful North-South Collaborative for Injury Prevention and Treatment in Ghana and Globally

Abstract

Injuries, such as from road traffic crashes and violence, cause a significant burden of death and disability in Ghana and globally. Universities have a key role to play in addressing the injury problem, both in training professionals and in undertaking research that will inform and stimulate action locally and globally. The main objective of this report is to highlight the importance of building institutional mentoring capacity to train next generation of injury prevention and trauma care researchers and leaders. Since 2005, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Fogarty-Quartey scholarship programme, a collaborative between KNUST and the University of Washington, has made significant contributions to injury prevention and trauma care in Ghana. The programme has provided scholarships to 37 long-term degree (e.g., MPH, PhD) scholars who are professionals from a variety of disciplines, most of whom have learned the basics of injury research and gone on to hold influential positions that involve road safety, prehospital care, emergency care, and trauma care in Ghanaian institutions. Research conducted by these scholars has led to real-world improvements in road safety and trauma care in Ghana. This research has led to 70 peerreviewed publications, many of which have been extensively referenced and which have helped to inform the global evidence base on injury control. The collaborative has also led to beneficial academic exchanges and additional grant opportunities. This article summarizes the key elements for success of this programme, including its administrative structure, its methods for building mentorship capacity at Ghanaian institutions, and its support for the career development of scholars. The article also addresses the challenges that the programme has faced and the innovative solutions that have been implemented to overcome these challenges and to assure its long-term sustainability.