The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) at the University of Ghana, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has launched another edition of its Third Country Training Programme aimed at strengthening Africa’s capacity to detect and respond to emerging infectious diseases.
The programme, which was held on June 1, 2026, at the NMIMR Conference Room, brought together laboratory technicians and biomedical scientists from across West and Central Africa for intensive training in advanced diagnostic techniques, disease surveillance, outbreak preparedness, and laboratory safety.
In an exclusive interview with Univers News, the Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Professor Alfred Edwin Yawson, stressed that strengthening laboratory systems remains one of the most effective ways of improving disease surveillance and outbreak response across the continent.
“Outbreaks are quite common in our part of the world, and for a resilient system to be able to deal with them, one of the primary objectives is to strengthen the laboratory system. It helps in early detection and diagnosis. Once you are able to detect and diagnose diseases early, then other public health measures can be implemented to contain their spread,” he said.
Professor Yawson noted that the training programme has, since its inception, contributed significantly to building the capacity of laboratory professionals across West Africa, Central Africa, and parts of Southern Africa.
“Any activity or training programme that builds the capacity of laboratory personnel and strengthens laboratory systems is at the very core of disease surveillance and outbreak containment. Noguchi has remained at the forefront of this effort,” he said.
The Third Country Training Programme forms part of a longstanding collaboration between NMIMR and JICA aimed at enhancing scientific expertise and strengthening regional preparedness against infectious disease threats across Africa.
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Story by Godfred Kwame Nyande | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Gabriel Tecco Mensah
