Facility tour at Paga Hospital, Ghana, by Brave Project Africa Coordinating Centre (ACC) and Ghana Site Team, 2026
In February 2026, the BRAVE project team from the African Coordinating Centre (ACC) at Wits African Leadership in Vaccinology Expertise (Wits‑ALIVE), South Africa, visited BRAVE’s Ghana site for a three‑day programme of field engagement and collaboration. The visit brought together the ACC team and researchers working across the Navrongo Health Research Centre, Paga Hospital, and St Lucas Hospital.
Site visits are an important part of BRAVE’s approach to building strong, locally led vaccine safety surveillance across Africa. They help strengthen partnerships with local research institutions and ensure that vaccine safety data are generated in ways that reflect real‑world clinical care and community health systems.
“Being part of BRAVE allows us to build on the systems and relationships we already have, while contributing to evidence that is relevant far beyond our own setting,” said Dr Nana Ansah, Site Lead, Navrongo Health Research Centre, Ghana.
During the visit, teams spent time in hospitals and communities to see how vaccine safety information is collected from both health facilities and households. This included engagement with the Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), a long‑established platform supporting population‑level health research in northern Ghana. Linking hospital‑based information with community‑level data helps create a more complete picture of vaccine safety.
A key highlight was the successful completion of the first HDSS data collection round incorporating BRAVE‑specific questions. This milestone shows how vaccine safety research can be integrated into existing surveillance systems, generating population‑level insights alongside data from clinics and hospitals.
“The successful integration of BRAVE-specific questions into the first HDSS data collection round marks a major milestone. Our field teams continue to leverage local trust and cultural awareness to ensure high-quality data collection across both hospital and community settings,” said Dr Nana Ansah, Site Lead, Navrongo Health Research Centre, Ghana.
The visit also offered insight into the work of HDSS field teams collecting data at household level. Fieldworkers engaged confidently and respectfully with community members, drawing on local knowledge and long‑standing relationships. This community‑based approach is essential for generating reliable data and supporting sustained participation in health research.
By spending time together in health facilities and communities, the visit helped strengthen shared understanding of local context and priorities. This kind of engagement supports vaccine safety research that is not only methodologically rigorous, but also practical, trusted, and relevant to the settings in which vaccines are delivered.
“While remote monitoring remains an important component, being on site enabled a richer understanding of workflows and team dynamics. These interactions ensure alignment between protocol expectations and real-world implementation, creating a space for collaborative discussion and shared learning,” said Kimberley Gutu, Programme Manager · Wits-Alive, South Africa
The BRAVE project remains committed to working with partners across Africa to generate high‑quality, context‑relevant data that can inform vaccine safety decisions and strengthen public health. The Ghana site visit represents an important step in reinforcing collaboration and supporting locally led research that contributes to safer vaccination programmes.
Why this matters
Reliable vaccine safety data are essential for maintaining public confidence in vaccines and supporting sound public health decisions. In many African settings, limited background data can make it difficult to assess whether health events following vaccination are coincidental or vaccine‑related.
By working closely with established research centres and surveillance systems like those in Ghana, BRAVE helps generate evidence that is locally relevant, scientifically robust, and grounded in real‑world health contexts. These data support regulators, policymakers, and global health partners in making informed decisions that protect communities and strengthen immunisation programmes across Africa.