Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research holds Scientific Research Conference

Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI)

As part of its 40th Anniversary celebration, the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research has held a Scientific Research Conference to highlight achievements, challenges and future direction of research at the Institute.

The conference, on the theme, “Meeting Global Health challenges: 40 years of innovative research at Noguchi” which climaxed the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Institute, was also to showcase scientific presentations from world renowned researchers from the Institute, top researchers from major health related institutions across Ghana, and other international research institutions.

Professor Abraham K. Anang, Director, NMIMR

In his welcome remarks at the Opening Ceremony, Professor Abraham K. Anang, Director of the NMIMR reiterated the Institute’s purpose which he noted is to conduct research into communicable and non-communicable diseases, build capacity of the next generation of scientists, and provide specialized diagnosis and intervention tools in support of public health in Ghana and beyond. 

Professor Abraham Kwabena Anang said the Institute had delivered effectively on its mandate and made significant strides, including the diagnosing of the first HIV and AIDS case in Ghana; leading in the building of critical capacity of health professionals in the country and in West Africa to diagnose and manage the disease; contributed to the advancing of Rotavirus diarrhoeal disease research and vaccination; established the tuberculosis laboratory testing network in Ghana and detection and monitoring of MDR/XDR tuberculosis.

Prof. Anang said, more recently, the Institute is leading in providing leadership in the establishment of the capacity for detection of environmental Polio and case findings of the disease in post eradication Ghana, in addition to contributing to critical management and control of the Ebola virus disease in West Africa, while engaging in tremendous capacity building within the past 10 years, including the training of 218 PhDs students, 456 masters, 591 undergraduates, 724 interns and 440 National Service personnel as well as the training of many postdoctoral Fellows.

“All these achievements have been possible because of the support of various stakeholders, with clear contributions from various individuals, groups and organisations including partners, collaborators and funders, who deserve commendation indeed”, Prof Anang said.

He said such achievements had been attained through teamwork and an enabling environment that aided research excellence, and made possible by the government, various ministries including the Ministries of Education, Health, Finance and Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.

On the journey into the future, Prof Anang said the Institute had identified the strength in innovative strategic partnerships by meeting the SDGs Goal 17, leveraging on partnerships to benefit from new ideas, initiative and innovation, to drive into the future. This, he said, would set the Institute aside as “a true leader in the world of biomedical research for the attainment of global health security”.

Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ghana

Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ghana, who chaired the ceremony, in brief remarks congratulated NMIMR on its anniversary.  He acknowledged the efforts of the founding fathers, the current and past directors, administrators and staff of the Institute for the hard work and dedication that has made NMIMR an internationally acclaimed biomedical institute of excellence. 

Hon. Alexander Kodwo Kom Abban, Deputy Minister of Health

Representing the Minister of Health, Honourable Mr. Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, the Deputy Minister of Health, Hon. Alexander Kodwo Kom Abban, in brief remarks indicated that NMIMR serves as a great medical research centre that provides swift intervention to medical problems in Ghana.  He mentioned his gratitude to the Institute for the people of Gomoa which had benefited greatly from the work of Noguchi.

Mr. Ryuichi Kato, Director, General Africa Department, JICA, noted that NMIMR is recognized as a Centre of excellence which provides advanced research of the Health Systems in Ghana.   He added that, the continuous partnership of Ghana-Japan relations in biomedical research will sustain Global Health gains in the world. 

Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) delivered the keynote address.  He commended the NMIMR for its lead role in research and diagnoses of diseases, and emphasized the importance of research to the socio-economic development of any society, adding that “our survival and development as a people will depend on our ability to understand, interpret, select, adapt, use, transmit, diffuse, produce and commercialize scientific and technological knowledge; and research is the key that will unlock this potential”.

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng announced that MESTI had initiated the process of setting up a High-Performance Computing Centre in Ghana, a facility that is an off shoot of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) research collaboration project with partners in South Africa.  Once installed, the equipment would provide computing capacity research databases and information could be shared among researchers, research institutions and researchers’ fund.

He called for the deepening of collaborations among government, public and private research institutions, academia and private sector to foster knowledge exchange, technology transfer and transformation of research outputs into commercial products and services.

“Such arrangement will facilitate the creation of industries and jobs, grow the economy and quicken the pace of Ghana’s socio-economic development.”, he said.

 Mr. Ryuichi Kato, Director General African Department, JICA

As a sign of appreciation, Mr. Ryuichi Kato, Director General African Department, JICA and H.E. Tsutomu Himeno, Japanese Ambassador to Ghana presented special awards to the NMIMR.  This was received by Professor Abraham K. Anang on behalf of the Institute. 

H.E. Tsutomu Himeno, Japanese Ambassador to Ghana 

In his remarks, His Excellency, Tsutomu Himeno, acknowledged that NMIMR has become a centre of excellence beyond the borders of Ghana.  In paying glowing tribute to the excellent work being done by researchers at Noguchi, he acknowledged NMIMR's immense contribution during the Ebola outbreak.  His Excellency Himeno noted that the contributions of NMIMR so far by health scientists has led to broadening, deepening and strengthening Japan /Ghana relations.  

The Conference was attended by legendary scientists in the fields of Malaria, Tuberculosis, HIV epidemic; Vaccines, Natural products and drug discovery; Gut Microbiome and Global Health Security and partnerships for strengthening Biomedical Research Infrastructure.  The Conference, among others, offered unique opportunities for discussions to establish new partnerships for research and training in order to advance contributions of the NMIMR and partners to regional preparedness for global health risks, threat and emergencies to impact Ghana, the West African sub-region and beyond.

The Noguchi Choir, composed of staff of the Institute,  performed a repertoire of musical interludes in commemoration of the anniversary. 

The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, was established in honour of Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, the renowned Japanese scientist who died in Ghana in 1928, whilst researching into Yellow Fever during a deadly epidemic in West Africa. (1925-1934).

Today, NMIMR is the leading biomedical research facility in Ghana with global recognition as a frontline institution for prevention and control of emerging and reemerging diseases in Africa. The Institute has over the last forty (40) years served as a major player in providing technical know-how for state-of-the-art detection of dangerous pathogenesis and diagnosis of the diseases that they cause during major epidemics such as HIV/AIDS, H1N1 Pandemic Flu, LASSA fever, Yellow fever, and Ebola Virus disease among others. NMIMR has over the period worked closely with various disease control programmes to shape policy and support health care delivery. 

 

Please click here for the Opening Ceremony video

Please click here for the Keynote Address by Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng

Please click here for the Address by the Director of the NMIMR, Prof. Abraham K. Anang