By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Cape Coast, July 15, GNA — Parliament’s Select Committee on Health has visited the COA Research and Manufacturing Company Limited, in the Central Region, to explore the potential of a discovered treatment for HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, and other viral diseases.
The Committee on Monday was impressed by the work of Professor Samuel Duncan and his team, who had allegedly discovered a formula with promising results.
“We believe that this is a wake-up call for government and government institutions to sit up and support what the professor is doing,” said Mr. Patrick Boakye-Yiadom, the Deputy Ranking Member of the Committee.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after the day’s working visit, Mr. Boakye-Yiadom said, “There is a huge potential market worth about $76 billion that we can tap into, and this could be a boost to our economy.”
He told the GNA that the Committee’s visit highlighted the potential for collaboration and support in addressing healthcare challenges in Ghana.
“The COA product has shown promise in treating various viral diseases, and the scientist behind the product has completed necessary processes, including approvals from regulatory bodies.
“However, funding and recognition remain key challenges. Government and government agencies must come in. This is the best time, this is the opportune time, and I think something good can come from Ghana,” Mr. Boakye-Yiadom said.
On his part, Dr. Mark Kurt Nawaane, the Chairman of the Health Committee, told the GNA that the Committee aimed to bring attention to the COA product and its potential benefits on the Floor of Parliament and request a statement from the Minister of Health.
“We need to support initiatives like COA research and manufacturing to unlock new opportunities for economic growth and improved healthcare outcomes,” he said.
Dr. Nawaane noted that the visit demonstrated the importance of collaboration between parliament, healthcare institutions, and research organizations in driving progress and innovation in healthcare.
He said, “With government support, Ghana could potentially become a leader in the development of new treatments for viral diseases.”
The day’s visit by the Committee to the Central Regional Minister, the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, and COA Research and Manufacturing Company Limited was a mop-up exercise by the Health Committee of earlier oversight visits to health facilities in the country.
GNA
Christian Akorlie