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President Akufo-Addo has urged scientists in Ghana to be up and doing in the fight against the novel Coronavirus.
According to the President, it is not beyond the Ghanaian scientists and pharmaceutical companies to produce an indigenous vaccine to combat the pandemic.[ads2]
Speaking at this year’s edition of the Annual New Year School at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana in Accra on Wednesday, President Akufo-Addo stated that, the Coronavirus has illustrated vividly the need for self-reliance in all areas of social and economic life, to which end he said “is key that we also break the cycle of dependence on foreigners in the fields of science and medicine as well.”
“it is not beyond our scientist and pharmaceutical companies whose knowledge and expertise cannot be questioned to produce an indigenous Ghanaian vaccine to combat the virus;” insisting “they must be up and doing.”[ads3]
He continued that, “the committee formed by government to recommend the appropriate decision on COVID-19 vaccines has completed its work, enabling government to begin discussions with vaccine manufacturing companies with a goal of ordering suitable doses of the vaccine for use in Ghana.”
Details of that, he said “will be announced very soon.”
President Akufo-Addo however cautioned that, “We cannot afford to abandon the enhanced hygiene and safety protocols that ensure that we are faring much better than many other countries including some well-advanced and developed countries.”
He said “if we do not adhere to these protocols, all the work that is being undertaken to build Ghana in the face of the global health crisis will fail.”[ads4]
He indicated that, the government has put in place measures to protect the most vulnerable in society from economic effects from the virus and will continue to act proactively to protect the citizenry from the ravages of the pandemic.”
“We are determined to see us through this crisis and all the challenges that it has brought in its wake,” he emphasized.
He therefore considered the theme for this year’s Annual New Year School, ‘Building Ghana in the face of global health crisis’, essential to raise, discuss and deliberate, and to find answers to important questions related not only to the COVID-19 pandemic but also to other health and social crisis.[ads5]
