Following a recent stride by some scientists from the University of Ghana in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the differences and the makeup of the coroviruses in the country, President Akufo-Addo is calling for more African-led partnerships to drive scientific innovations for the control of viral diseases by vaccination.
He believes that the needed framework for sustainable manufacturing of vaccines in Africa must be established so that scientists in the continent will be able to develop and manufacture vaccines for the world.
In view of that, President Akufo-Addo has announced that the country will support the African Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative.
The African Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative (AVMI), which is chaired by the head of Noguchi’s Virology Department, Prof. William Ampofo, was formed as a continental initiative to advocate for strengthening Africa’s capacity to develop and manufacture vaccines.
Delivering his seventh address to Ghanaians on new measure taken by the government in the fight against COVID19, the President also commended the University of Ghana scientists for achievement they had chalked.
He describes the feat as “a significant milestone in Ghana’s response to the pandemic, as it will strengthen surveillance for tracking mutations of the virus, and aid in the tracing of the sources of community infections in people with no known contact with confirmed cases”
“The Ghanaian scientific community is to be warmly applauded for this advance and contribution to global knowledge. Their work makes us proud to be Ghanaian, and, who knows, God may work through them to discover a vaccine,” the President affirmed.
Countries around the world have expedited efforts to find a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, which has infected over 2 million people so far.
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Story by: Jeffrey Nyabor | www.universnewsroom.com