News

The first Professor of Medical Laboratory Sciences and the Director of the West African Genetic Medicine Centre (WAGMC) at the University of Ghana, Prof. Solomon Fiifi Ofori-Acquah delivered his inaugural lecture on the topic, “A Journey with Sickle Cell Disease, around the World and a Return Home to Help Find a Cure.” The lecture was a culmination of years of dedication and research by the former Dean of the School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences.

The West African Genetic Medicine Centre (WAGMC) has organised a sod-cutting ceremony to commemorate the upcoming construction of its Multipurpose Genomic Medicine Building Complex.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, was hopeful that the facility, when completed, will assist WAGMC in contributing to the Six Key Strategic Objectives (KSOs) in her vision for the University of Ghana. Prof. Amfo announced the building will augment impactful research in the applied sciences and humanities. “I am confident the global leadership in Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) research that the Centre is renowned for will not only continue but grow especially in genomics”, she said.

The Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana (SCFG) has announced the appointment of Professor Solomon Fiifi Ofori-Acquah as its new President with immediate effect.

In his new role he will provide overall executive leadership at the SCFG succeeding the late Professor Kwaku Ohene-Frempong who recently passed away.

In his remarks to Board Members and Staff of the Foundation, Prof Ofori-Acquah shared some of his experience working alongside Professor Ohene-Frempong for nearly 30 years. He stated “I am honoured to continue and grow the work started by my friend and mentor and excited about our mission to support the development of resources and services to help improve the health and quality of life of people with SCD and related conditions”.

It is with heavy hearts and great difficulty that we announce the passing of Prof. Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, the West African Genetic Medicine Centre (WAGMC) Sectoral Advisory Board Chair (SAB). Prof. Kwaku Ohene-Frempong passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones on Saturday, May 7, 2022, after a 6-month battle with aggressive cancer.

WAGMC Deputy Centre Leader, Lorna Awo Renner, MB ChB, MPH, FRCPCH, FGCPS, of the University of Ghana Medical School, in Accra, Ghana, has received the 2021 International Women Who Conquer Cancer Mentorship Award. Dr. Renner is a lecturer at the University and Head of the Paediatric Oncology Unit at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Novartis and the Bill has announced its collaboration with Melinda Gates Foundation to discover and develop an accessible in vivo gene therapy, thus a new method of gene therapy to cure Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).

A press release issued by the Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana indicated that the agreement with the foundation will provide funding support for the discovery and development of a single-administration.

Professor Mahmoud Sani, a Professor of Internal Medicine and a renowned Cardiologist at the Department of Medicine, Bayero University Kano  and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital has been appointed as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Services)  by The University Governing Council, Bayero University, Kano, following a nomination by the Senate. The appointment is for a two-year term from 2021 to 2023.