The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) had held its 8th Annual Research Meeting (ARM) 2023, under the theme, ‘Strengthening Research Capacity to Mitigate Current and Future Disease Threats: Bridging the Research- Policy Divide.’
The event took place on the 23rd November 2023 at the Noguchi Memorial Conference Hall.
Director of the institute, Prof. Dorothy Yeboah Manu shared insights on a threefold set of mandates of the institute, which is all directed towards conducting an impactful research in public health, providing specialization and build capacity for training a new set of scientists
In her welcome address at the event, Prof. Yeboah Manu emphasized the institute’s steadfast commitment to remaining a major stakeholder in the field of public health research.
“The [Institute] which was established in 1979, has three mandates. The first and foremost is to conduct research into diseases of public health…,provide specialized diagnosis, support of global interventions and to build the capacity of the next generation of scientists group to graduate training escort training from other health professionals across the Sub Region of the African continent.”
She further revealed that the institute had trained over 3000 people, which include 38 post-doctorate degree holders and 54 PhD holders over the span of just four years from different Africa countries to improve public health on the continent.
“The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, as part of his second and third mandate continues to strategically build capacity and skilled manpower across all levels of the academic calendar. We are proud to indicate to you that since 2019, more than 3000 individuals including 38 postdocs and 54 PhDs from different African countries have been trained at the institute. I’m delighted to indicate that even today we have in our mist, 15 participants from nine West African countries who just completed their annual Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research”.
Minister for Education, Hon. Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum who was also present at the Annual Research Meeting indicated that the research made by the Institute should be made available to ordinary Ghanaians.
“Noguchi has done so many researches and I believe that the research knowledge should be made available to Ghanaians. We need to do a better job disseminating the outcomes of the research so that people can use that to guide and inform themselves.”
He also stated that the institute should at least affiliate themselves with senior high school and junior high school to train them to become some of the best research scientists in West Africa at large.
“Get some school affiliated with you so that you produce the next generation of researchers. We know if they start early, they’re going to do a better job for us. So we will be working with you at the Ministry of Education, providing support and getting some schools affiliated with you so that we can create a pipeline of the researchers that we need in this country who will come and change the cost of history of our nation.”
In an exclusive interview with Univers News, Prof. Yeboah Manu emphasized on how one of the key objectives of NMIMR is to use research to promote development through the multiple fund sources they have at hand.
“As you all know, we’ve been very good in terms of surveillance, we’ve been very good in terms of genomic epidemiology and all that. But one of the key things Noguchi wants is research and development and now we have funding from sources like Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation to develop drugs. So now there is a drug development project that we have established and we are looking for other partners to contribute meaningful to Africa’s quest for vaccine development.
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Story by: Doku Basira | univers.ug.edu.gh
