By Prince Acquah
Wusorkrom (C/R), July 15, GNA – The Centre of Awareness Research and Manufacturing Limited Company (COA-RMLC), has made an urgent appeal for the government’s support for its 20-year-old research project into finding cure for HIV and AIDS.
Specifically, the centre has requested for the collaboration of the state to mobilise researchers and scientists, to conduct clinical trials into a series of herbal products being developed to cure HIV and other viral infections.
The Centre had suggested that through its internal research and testimonies from the public, there had been a demonstration of some level of potential of the products to cure or manage HIV and other viral diseases, but it was not conclusive.
The clinical trials were therefore necessary to verify the claims by subjecting them to proper scientific analysis, identify shortfalls, offer recommendations and expedite the project to make it successful.
Professor Samuel Ato Duncan, the Founder and Executive President of COA, made the call when he received the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health at his facility at Wusorkrom on Monday.
The committee visited the facility as part of a working visit to the Central Region, which saw them visiting several institutions including the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital.
Sharing his “groundbreaking” research on the cure for HIV with the committee, Prof. Duncan expressed frustrations with the seeming lack of support from successive governments despite incessant appeals.
“A lot of money has gone into it but there has not been much support which forced me to take it to South Africa and now they are claiming to have found cure for the virus. It is painful when you don’t get the support from your own people,” he stressed.
Prof. Duncan touted the efficacy of some existing products like COA Mixture and COA capsules in managing conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, stroke, sickle cell, cancer, kidney diseases and some viral infections.
Highlighting the economic potential of the project, he said the medication could generate about 76 billion annually to shore up the economy.
He said it presented a vast opportunity for employment as thousands of large tracts of lands would be needed to plant the raw materials.
“We are very serious about finding solutions through scientific research.
“…since we are resetting Ghana and Ghana is so much indebted, we can get something from what I have done so that Ghana can benefit from it,” he said.
Members of the Committee sympathised with the COA President and pledged their unwavering support for his project.
Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nabdam and Chairman of the Committee, observed that more than 70 per cent of Ghanaians used herbal medicine but questioned Ghana had made little progress in that sector.
Aside the potential to transform the health sector, he indicated that the project was a complete economic activity which needed urgent support.
He, therefore, entreated COA-RMLC to prepare a statement for the Committee to make a case on the floor of Parliament.
He also promised to table it before the Minister of Health in an upcoming meeting.
Mr Alexander Akwasi Acquah, the MP for Akim Oda, urged his colleagues to collectively treat it as a personal project to rally the needed support.
Dr Prince Arhin, the MP for Mfantseman, indicated that it was time for Ghana to leverage its traditional medications, assuring that “We are ready to partner with you and help eliminate some of these stumbling blocks”.
To support the Centre, he suggested that products from COA-RMLC should be listed on the National Health Insurance Scheme drug list.
Dr Yakubu Tobor Yusuf, the Registrar of the Traditional Medicine Council, suggested the establishment of a clinical trial centre for herbal products, through a collaboration by all stakeholders including the Traditional Medicine Practice Council, Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine, and the Food and Drugs Authority.
Prof. Duncan, after the meeting and a tour of the facility, donated 70 boxes of COA products to be distributed among all MPs.
GNA
Edited by Alice Tettey / Christabel Addo