MODEC, fund partners commit $500,000 towards medical research in Ghana

MODEC and it's fund partners have committed $500,000 to two tertiary institutions towards a health science research in Ghana.

The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) and the University of Ghana through the AMED J-GRID Project received its first-ever corporate donation in Ghana of $250,000 in June 2018.

The Fund Partners are made up of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (“Mitsui”), Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (“MOL”) and Marubeni Corporation (“Marubeni”).

The AMED J-Grid Project is a research collaboration between NMIMR and Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) for infectious diseases.

The mission and mandate of NMIMR which is to ensure overall global health security especially in terms of emerging/re-emerging disease and endemic tropical diseases, build capacity and conduct specialized diagnosis, ties in with vision of Ghana to become a prosperous developed country as it (NMIMR) advances heath development for poverty reduction.

It is for this reason that MODEC and its Fund Partners believe that supporting the work of NMIMR and medical research in Ghana aligns with their aim of improving the lives of Ghanaians, building healthier communities for development and furthering the collaboration between Japan and Ghana.

According to Prof. Abraham Kwabena Anang, Director NMIMR, University of Ghana, the initial donation of $250,000 provided a great opportunity to focus on three (3) key joint project initiatives with AMED J-GRID, namely; Research into Dengue Fever and Chikungunya (viral infections), Rotavirus Diarrhea and Antimicrobial Resistance (determining the status of antibiotic usage and the potential roles of microbe resistance).

“We leveraged the funding into strengthening the projects in terms of materials and reagents, some equipment and to facilitate capacity building (i.e. training of young researchers in collaboration with TMDU), he explained.

Key Findings

Some significant findings have been made in the past year with the support of the donation made by MODEC and its Fund Partners.

Dengue and Chikungunya Fever –It was discovered that Dengue fever forms part of unexplained fevers in Ghana, though at low levels. The research has also unearthed a significant finding that the Ghanaian Aedes Mosquito is more refractory i.e. it does not easily take and transmit viral infections thereby preventing the spread of certain viruses or epidemics. This key finding presents an opportunity to further investigate what advantages can be gained from this refractoriness for disease control. It was also found that Chikungunya (a viral disease) occasionally presents in the country.

Rotavirus Diarrhea – NMIMR has led the building of evidence-based data for the advocacy and introduction of Rotavirus vaccines for the prevention and control of Severe Rotavirus Diarrhea in children since 2012. The donated funds were used to conduct diarrhea surveillance in children and to monitor, identify and isolate wild strains of Rotaviruses that are beginning to reemerge.

Antimicrobial Resistance –Many hospitals which have not been able to establish proper infection control, become places where patients can acquire new infections. Occasionally some of these bacteria are found to be resistant bacteria (untreatable). The research looked at potential resistance in several locations/hospitals across the country. It was discovered that there is already microbial resistance to second and even third level antibiotics among the patient samples collected. Further research will be conducted to investigate the genetic basis for the resistance and to find solutions.