Vice President Meets Noguchi Leadership, Pledges Government Support for Medical Research

Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening Ghana’s medical research capacity following a meeting with the leadership of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR).

The meeting, led by the Director of the Institute, Prof. Dorothy Yeboah-Manu, provided an opportunity for the Noguchi team to outline key challenges confronting the Institute. These include difficulties with staff recruitment, procurement bottlenecks, and the absence of a dedicated budget allocation to support its expanding research mandate.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang acknowledged the concerns raised, emphasizing that strong and well-supported scientific institutions are essential to national development, especially at a time of emerging diseases and global health uncertainty. She noted that while procurement regulations often pose operational challenges, they are designed to protect the national economy and ensure accountability, not to stifle critical institutions.

The Vice President stressed the need to find practical and flexible ways to support institutions like Noguchi, whose work plays a vital role in safeguarding public health in Ghana. She described the Institute as a cornerstone of the country’s public health response and a globally recognized centre for medical research.

Reaffirming government’s appreciation of the Institute’s contributions, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang assured the leadership of Noguchi that the government remains willing to support its work, within available means, to ensure continued progress. She also encouraged the Institute to further operationalize and scale its research outputs so their impact can be felt more widely across the national health system.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deeper collaboration, accountability, and impact, as government and the Noguchi Memorial Institute work together toward a stronger and more resilient health research future for Ghana.