COVID 19: President Nana Addo calls on African states to advance research in vaccine production
President Nana Addo has charged African States to advance scientific research in developing vaccines to control infection of the novel coronavirus (COVID 19).
In his view, recent scientific breakthrough in sequencing the genome of the virus by African scientists, must be motivated, and that Africans “need to establish the enabling framework for sustainable vaccine manufacturing in Africa”
“We must advance African-led partnerships to drive scientific innovations for the control of viral diseases by vaccination” he added.
He hinted that a decision has been made to support the African Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative, to develop and manufacture COVID 19 vaccine for Africa and the world at large.
“Ghana, recognising this critical public health tool, will support the African Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative, which is chaired by Noguchi’s Prof William Ampofo, to promote the agenda for vaccine development and manufacturing in Africa by Africans for the world”
His argument as noted in a televised message on Ghana’s response to the pandemic, stern from the successful sequencing of genomes of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the global COVID-19 pandemic, by Scientists at the University of Ghana (UG).
He is optmistic such a breakthrough will be made by Ghana soon.
“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” he said.
