KCCR Marks 25th Anniversary; Otumfuo Graces Event
The Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR) is marking its 25th Anniversary under the theme, “25 Years Of Research for life: SUSTAINING GLOBAL HEALTH AND RESEARCH IN A CHANGING WORLD”.
Honouring the event was the Asantehene and Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Present among the dignitaries at the celebration were the Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare, German Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Daniel Krull, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon Simon Osei Mensah, Chairman of Council, Ambassador Nana Effah Apenteng, Vice Chancellor of KNUST, Prof Rita Akosua Dickson.
Also were the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, Dr Francis Kasolo, Chair of Bernhard Nocht Institute of Tropical Medicine (BNITM), Prof Juergen May, Director of Scientific Research at KCCR, Prof Richard Odame Philips and others.
The Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR) is a joint venture between the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Ghana and the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM), Germany.
It was established on 28th October 1997, following the signing of a State agreement between the Republic of Ghana and the Free and Hanseatic State of Hamburg, Germany. The President of Ghana at the time, H.E. Jerry John Rawlings and the Chancellor of KNUST at the time, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, the Asantehene, provided approval for its establishment.
At its forty-seventh sitting on 30th March 1999, the Parliament of Ghana further approved its establishment and associated statutes governing its operation.
Speaking on the first day of the two-day event marking the 25th anniversary on Tuesday, November 29, the Asantehene congratulated the centre.
“I congratulate KCCR on its 25th anniversary and also for the great strides and remarkable achievements over these 25 years.”
He stated that KCCR played a crucial role in the Ashanti region and its surrounding regions by providing testing to guide clinical decisions, technical support to laboratories and data to inform critical decisions by the health sector.
He added, “As research form the basis for development in any country, government must pay more attention to our Research centres and address research capacity gaps that exist.”
Chair of BNITM, Prof Dr Juergen May, recounted, “in the early 1990s when looking for a partner in Africa, Ghana seemed to be the perfect place with a stable government and great interest in such a joint activity and we’re quite fortunate to find Sir George Brobbey, the former Dean of the Medical Faculty of KNUST who drafted State Agreement together with the BNITM officials.”
He stated that KCCR impressively demonstrated capacities and capabilities in the COVID-19 crisis.
The German Ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, in his speech indicated that the existence of the KCCR is a milestone for global health and assured of Germany’s commitment to continuing collaboration with the research centre.
Speaking on the theme “Sustaining Global Health and Research In A Changing World”, the World Health Organisation Country Rep, Dr Francis Kasol challenged the world to put measures in place to monitor the next pandemic after COVID-19.
Richard Odame Philips, the KCCR Director in his speech indicated that the research centre has evolved several research and has become the preferred destination for academic career.
Acknowledging the contributions of his predecessors, Deans and Vice Chancellors, he said, “thank you for believing” in the project.
Recalling the establishment of the agreement in the era of late and former President Jerry John Rawlings 25 years ago, Prof Bernard Fleischer, a former BNITM chair who supervised the agreement, wished the centre live to see the next 25 years.
As part of the anniversary celebration, the Asantehene Commissioned the newly constructed Outbreak Preparedness Laboratory of KCCR.
The newly constructed lab block on the campus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) houses a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) laboratory, a Cold Room and 5 Biosafety Level 2 (BSL2) laboratories.
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
