CHISU Ghana trains laboratory staff to support national mpox outbreak response

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KCCR staff attend a training on entering mpox data into SORMAS

In Ghana, CHISU is supporting the national mpox outbreak response efforts with data entry training for laboratory staff at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR). The training will help ensure laboratory staff correctly enter mpox-related data into the country’s disease surveillance platform, Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS), providing the government with accurate and timely information to inform the country’s response.

KCCR serves as an important institution for disease surveillance and research in Ghana, providing laboratory services across national, regional, district, and facility levels. The Center plays an important role in the mpox response through testing, confirming, and reporting cases to ensure the accurate tracking of the disease and its spread. 

In October 2024, Ghana reported its first mpox case of the year, a young boy in the Western North Region, and subsequently monitored 24 close contacts for signs of mpox infection. Surveillance is a key aspect of the response but at the start of the outbreak, KCCR staff faced challenges entering data into SORMAS. The Center only had two laboratory staff that had been trained on the SORMAS system, posing a risk to accurate reporting, limiting health officials’ ability to make informed decisions for timely public health interventions. 

To meet KCCR’s capacity-strengthening needs, CHISU collaborated with the Ghana Health Services’ (GHS) Disease Surveillance Department and Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research to facilitate targeted training for KCCR staff. The training introduced staff to the structure of Ghana's surveillance system, with a focus on the role of laboratories in detecting diseases and the reporting lines to public health authorities. Staff were also trained on how to receive samples, report results, and use barcodes to improve data accuracy and workflow efficiency within the SORMAS platform. Trainees also received practical training on the SORMAS web interface, including how to operate barcode scanners for streamlined data entry and reporting.

Following the training, KCCR is now better positioned to support Ghana’s mpox response and future outbreaks with improved data quality and reporting, strengthen collaboration with Ghana Health Service (GHS), and sustain surveillance capabilities. KCCR staff will continue to apply the skills acquired to manage future outbreaks and contribute to Ghana’s overall health security.