The Noguchi Advanced Research Laboratories, a newly built facility to enhance the early detection and effective response to disease outbreaks in Africa, was on Tuesday inaugurated in Accra.
The facility is expected to ensure that the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), of the University of Ghana (UG), strictly adheres to safety protocols and high standards for biomedical research.
It was built with a 2.285 billion Japanese Yen, approximately 20 million USD grant, approved by the government of Japan to the institute in 2016 for the construction of the building and supply of laboratory equipment.
The advanced research laboratories would not only enable the Institute to function effectively as a regional reference biomedical research institute for West Africa, but also present the additional resource in specialized equipment and the needed human talent to advance global health security.
A senior Minister of State, Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, who inaugurated the laboratories on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, said the NMIMR had become a national asset due to the great image it had built for itself over the years.
He urged the Institute to strive to ensure that the facility was properly maintained at all times.
“The people and government of Japan have generously done their part, you are now in charge of it and the least that is expected from you is to ensure an effective maintenance of this asset,” he said.
Mr. Maafo pledged the government’s support towards the establishment of the ‘Noguchi Together Endowment Fund’, adding that, they will support the institute to overcome its financial challenges.
He thanked the government and people of Japan for their continuous efforts to improve health research in Ghana and beyond.
Professor Abraham Anang, Director of the NMIMR, was positive that the advanced research laboratory would further strengthen the capacity of the Institute as a key player in national, regional and global surveillance to prevent, detect, diagnose and monitor outbreak events caused by dangerous pathogens
The Institute was according to him, positioned to play a critical role as a centre of research networking, and a hub for multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research that brings together biomedical and social sciences for the holistic one health approach.
He stated that the institute would in May this year, inaugurate a ‘Consultative Group’, together with it partners to works assiduously towards the elimination and eradication of yellow fever.
Mr. Hirofumi Hoshi, the Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), said the Centre was built to provide world class laboratory to implement more advanced research for contagious pathogens and implement safer, more accurate and timely laboratory diagnosis.
He was hopeful that the provision of the Centre would help research into cure for life threatening diseases in Ghana and enhance universal health coverage.
Mr Tsutomu Himeno, Ambassador of Japan to Ghana, said the NMIRM remained a symbol of cordial and progressive relationship and partnership between Japan and Ghana
The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research of the UG is a World Health Organisation (WHO) regional reference laboratory for Poliomyelitis and Rotavirus in Africa.
It is presently the WHO African Regional Laboratory for emerging dangerous pathogens and HIV genotype laboratory.
Source: GNA
