Noguchi Memorial Institute commended for Covid-19 fight

Her Ladyship, the former Chief Justice of Ghana, Justice Sophia Akuffo has commended the entire management and staff of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research of the University of Ghana for the significant role they played in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to her, since the emergence of the pandemic in the country in March 2020, the Institute has never rested on its laurels but kept moving grounds to ensure the disease is brought under control and lives adequately protected.

Justice Sophia Akuffo also observed that she has come to realization and equally believes others would share in similar views of her that Ghana’s success which is known in the fight against the virus is now being appreciated across the world which cannot even be possible without the Institute being mentioned for the tireless efforts.

“I therefore wish to commend the Institute on my own behalf and on the behalf of my colleague board members of the Covid-19 National Trust Fund for this wonderful job that you continue to do, you have done it up till now and you would continue to do towards the combat of this dreaded disease”.

She made this known at an event to officially launch “the Noguchi Covid-19 Symposium Series” while delivering a speech.

The launch which came under the theme: “Covid-19 in Ghana: The Noguchi Story” brought together officials from the health and education sector, government appointees, representatives of Civil Society Organizations, International Organizations, corporate bodies including other stakeholders.

According to the Institute’s Director, Prof. Dorothy Yeboah-Manu, the launch of the symposium is an avenue to share findings from the Covid-19 data at the Institute to inform the public of the past, present and future outlook of the pandemic.

Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIFMR) of the University of Ghana has been recognized on several platforms at both the national and global levels for their mandate in conducting research into diseases of public health importance, training of postgraduate students in biomedical sciences and supporting the public health programmes of the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service.

The Institute in recent times has also been conferred on the 2021 Millennium Excellence Award for Science and Research. For their significant role in the fight against Covid-19, one of its senior lecturers, Prof. William Ampofo was adjudged the recipient of Covid-19 Heroes Distinction Award from the West Africa International Press Limited for being the Outstanding Frontliner of the year.

Furthermore, two of the Institute’s female scientists, Dr. Mary Amoakoh-Coleman and Dr Ivy. Asantewaa Asante were also recently honored by the Humanitarian Global Awards for their distinguished efforts in the fight against Covid-19 in Ghana.

For her part, the Deputy Minister of Information, Fatimatu Abubakari remarked that Ghana’s Covid-19 response in general has been a success while heaping praises upon the Institute for their leadership and continuous determination in research work as well as contact tracing in the Covid-19 fight.

She reaffirmed the government’s eagerness to continue to cooperate and partner with the Noguchi Memorial Institute in order to achieve greater heights within the country’s medical sector.

The launch was conducted by Fatimatu Abubakari on behalf of Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister of Information.

Source:Joseph Wemakor|Newsghana24.com