Elections were held on 21st May, 2012 to elect new executives of the Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC) Scientific Review Committee (SRC). The new executives replaced the old members who had served as executive members since the inception of the Scientific Review Committee (SRC). The available positions for election included: Deputy Chair person, Secretary and Deputy Secretary. The constitution of the SRC stipulates that the Chairperson of the SRC is always the Director of the centre and so that position was not contested for.

The SRC has the mandate to review protocols and establish their scientific merit and public health relevance before studies are carried out at KHRC. The committee is made up of all senior staff of the Centre and the term of office for executives is twenty four (24) months.

Dr. Kwaku Poku Asante, a Clinical Research Fellow was elected as the Deputy Chair person with 26 votes as against the 22 obtained by the only other contestant to the position, Dr. Alexander Ansah Manu, also a Clinical Research Fellow.

Ms. Akua Agyemang Budu polled 21 votes as against 16 obtained by Mr. Anthony Kwarteng emerging as Secretary and Deputy Secretary respectively. They were followed by Mr. Lawrence Gyabaa Febir and Mr. Nelson Amanfo who polled 8 and 3 respectively.

The elections were supervised by the out-going Deputy Chair person, Dr. Sam Newton, a Clinical Research Fellow and the Director of KHRC, Dr. Seth Owusu-Agyei. Dr. Newton congratulated the new executives on their election and wished them well in all their endeavours. He particularly thanked the out-going secretary, Mr. Akpalu Bright for working tirelessly during his term of office.

The out-going Secretary, Mr. Akpalu Bright shared a few words with the in-coming secretary and the deputy and reminded them that the position of Secretary is very challenging and that the new secretary needs to be abreast with any proposal that is submitted to the committee for review. He reminded them that the secretary is always a ‘stand-by reviewer’ and is called upon to replace a reviewer if he is unable to attend the SRC meeting during scientific reviews. He however assured them that the work of the secretary is fulfilling and wished them well as they take up their new office.  

The new executives pledged to work hard and pledged to leave no stone unturned in their desire to make their term of office a success. The Director of KHRC, Dr. Seth Owusu-Agyei, congratulated the new executives on their election and charged them to work hard and move the committee to greater heights.