Workshop title: Introduction to Clinical Trials for Healthcare Professionals
Module 5: Community Engagement & Participant Retention Strategies
The last of five modules. This module focuses on decentralized clinical trials as well as patient and public involvement and engagement, as it pertains to clinical trials on the African continent.
Speaker: Professor Dr. Oluwabunmi Ogungbe, PhD, MPH, RN
Dr. Ogungbe is a Nigerian-born cardiovascular researcher and Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University. She leads multiple clinical trials testing community-based interventions across the US, countries in Africa, and globally. Dr. Ogungbe's expertise spans clinical trial design, community engagement, and implementation science, with over 90 peer-reviewed publications. As a Fellow of the American Heart Association, an Associate Director for Education and Training at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity, she champions strategies that center community voices in research design, improving both participant recruitment and retention in diverse populations.
Speaker: Dr. Joy Ifeoma Okoye, Emeritus Professor of Radiology, & Director UNNCECT
Emeritus Professor Ifeoma Joy Okoye is a physician with over 44 years of experience and a radiologist with over 3 decades of experience. Her work centres on diagnostic accuracy, cancer control, women’s health, and strengthening clinical trial systems across Africa. She founded the University of Nigeria Centre of Excellence for Clinical Trials and the Association for Good Clinical Practice in Nigeria (AGCPN), and serves as co-chair of the African Clinical Trial Consortium (ACTC). Professor Okoye has helped build regulatory frameworks, ethics oversight, and hybrid trial models, while advising national and international partners to advance high-quality, patient-centred research in Africa.
Objectives:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
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Describe the key phases, design types, and operational components of clinical trials within global and African health contexts.
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Gain knowledge on the core principles of ICH-Good Clinical Practice (GCP) to ensure ethical and compliant participation in clinical research.
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Identify the roles and responsibilities of nurses, physicians, and allied health professionals in patient recruitment, informed consent, and trial conduct.
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Demonstrate understanding of data integrity, participant safety, and community engagement strategies that support high-quality trial outcomes.
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Evaluate opportunities to integrate clinical research practices within their professional settings.
Date: Thursday, 18th of December 2025
Time: 1 PM EST / 6 PM GMT
Duration: 90 minutes