Some officials of Newmont and GHS inside one of the facilities
NEWMONT GHANA has handed over two PCR laboratories worth GH¢2 million to the Ghana Health Service.
This forms part of Newmont’s contribution to the National COVID-19 management efforts and for the testing of other infectious diseases.
The laboratories, established through inter-governmental collaboration with the Ghana Health Service, Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR) and the Regional and District Directors of Health Services, are situated in the Kenyasi Health Centre of the Asutifi North District and the New Abirem Government Hospital in the Birim North District of the Ahafo and Eastern regions, respectively.
The PCR labs are expected to directly serve the residents of the two districts with a population of over 150,000 (GSS 2021) as well as adjoining districts, reducing the over-reliance on the main testing centres for infectious diseases in the country. The labs will ensure increased and quicker testing for COVID-19, helping in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, while also supporting the detection of other infectious diseases such as meningitis, hepatitis, yellow fever and malaria.
Director-General of the Ghana Health Service Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, acknowledged the value of the collaboration between Newmont and the partners, describing it as “phenomenal and significant to the efforts against infectious diseases.” He thanked Newmont for their considerable support adding that “since the advent of COVID-19, we have learnt how to work together effectively with the private sector. We hope that this continues so that we can all build a robust national healthcare delivery system.”
Newmont Africa’s Vice President, Sustainability and External Relations, Adiki O. Ayitevie, commended the partners who collaborated with Newmont to complete the project.
She recognised the commitment of Newmont in making the initiative a reality adding “It is an honour to support the national effort against the pandemic with the setting up of the PCR labs.”
Prof. Richard Phillips, Scientific Director of KCCR, indicated that the successful completion of the PCR laboratories and training of the laboratory personnel was a testament to the power of collaboration.