Minister seeks greater ties among health organisations over HIV/AIDS

Ayodele Adesanmi, Abuja - 25.02.2008

The Minister of Science and Technology, Chief (Mrs.) Grace Ekpiwhre, has called for greater collaboration among health-related organsiations in Africa to find a lasting solution to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Speaking when the president of Africa Hope Foundation, Professor Victor Anomah Ngu, paid her a courtesy visit in her office in Abuja, the minister said such synergy of the health organisations would improve scientific research.

She said African researchers must brace up to the challenge of producing empirical results.

Mrs. Ekpiwhre urged African researchers to show the rest of the world that good things could come from Africa “because we have a lot of capacity, intelligence and people of integrity that can make a difference.”

She assured that the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology would assist any diligent scientist or investor, through its National Biotechnology Development Agency, in finding a lasting solution to the AIDS scourge.

Mrs. Ekpiwhre, who said she was delighted at the efforts of the Africa Hope Foundation in inventing a new vaccine called VANHIVAX, added that it was a welcome developement that should be supported.

She said the ministry and its relevant parastatals were prepared to collaborate with any agency in solving HIV/AIDS problems in Nigeria and Africa, commending the initiative of the NGO in inventing the new drug.

The President of Africa Hope Foundation, Professor Anomah Ngu, while briefing the minister about the new vaccine invented by his organisation, said it was the first of its kind in Africa.

He said patients treated with the vaccine were later found to be zero-negative.

He said the vaccine found a shorter, simpler solution to the HIV problems, adding that the World Health Organisation (WHO) was being carried along by his organisation in its operations.