Director of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Visits NMIMR & WACCBIP

Dr. John Nkengason touring NMIMR with Prof. Dorothy Yeboah-Manu

Dr. John Nkengasong, Director, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has visited the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) to interact with the faculty and staff. The visit formed part of the activities undertaken by Dr. Nkengasong while at the University to deliver the 2022 Aggrey-Fraser-Guggisberg Memorial Lecture. 

In her welcome remarks, Prof. Dorothy Yeboah-Manu, Director, NMIMR, expressed delight at Dr. Nkengasong’s visit. She used the occasion to thank Africa CDC for the equipment NMIMR received during the early stages of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has contributed significantly to the Institute’s success.

Prof. William Ampofo, Professor at the Virology Department and Chair of the African Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative, also lauded the role of Africa CDC in pushing forward the platforms that have helped Africa to manage the pandemic.

Dr. John Nkengasong touring NMIMR

On his part, Dr. John Nkengasong congratulated Prof. Yeboah-Manu on her appointment as the first female Director of NMIMR. He commended the staff of the Institute for the remarkable work done during the height of the pandemic. ‘Noguchi has played a central role in the response not just in Ghana but for the Sub-region’, Dr. Nkengasong said. He noted that with good science, the world will overcome the pandemic. 

Dr. John Nkengasong touring NMIMR

The NMIMR team present at this meeting were Prof. Collins Ahorlu, Head, Epidemiology Department; Prof. Regina Appiah-Opong, Head, Clinical Pathology Department; Dr. John Odoom, Head, Virology Department; Dr. Bright Adu, Dr. Beverly Egyir and Dr. Gloria Ivy Mensah, Senior Research Fellows. The rest are Ms. Afia Adoma Boakye, Assistant Registrar and Rev. Mrs. Gloria Obeng-Benefo, Public Relations Officer.

At the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), the Director and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Gordon Awandare, presented a brief background of the Centre’s research output, whilst Dr. Peter Kojo Quarshie, Deputy Director of Research made a presentation on WACCBIP Covid research.

Present at the meeting were Prof. Osbourne Quaye, Head, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology; Dr. Anastacia Aikins, Graduate Admissions and Exam Coordinator; Dr. Lydia Mosi, Deputy Director, Administration; Dr. Lucas Amega-Etego, Senior Research Fellow; Dr. Yaw Aniweh, Head of Technology; Dr. Oduro-Mensah, Lecturer and Mr. Andrew Nantogmah, Communications Manager.

At both NMIMR and WACCBIP, Dr. John Nkengasong visited the laboratories of the units and was particularly excited to see some of the equipment from Africa CDC being used at NMIMR.

 
A group photo after the visit to WACCBIP