On Friday, November 8, Yaw Osei Adutwum, the minister of education, and Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, the vice-chancellor of the University of Ghana (UG), formally opened the West African Genetic Medicine Centre (WAGMC).
The goal of the cutting-edge facility on the Legon campus is to establish Ghana as a pioneer in West African genomic medicine.
The 2,800-square-meter new complex was made possible by US$1.5 million in government funding through the World Bank’s Africa Centres of Excellence for Development Impact (ACE IMPACT) project.
It has a 200-seat auditorium, a 220-square-meter open laboratory, a biorepository, a genetic counseling clinic, smart classrooms, and areas specifically designated for research and instruction.
The center’s cutting-edge facilities, she continued, represent a significant step in achieving its goal of being a world leader in genomics education and research.
Yaw Osei Adutwum, the minister of education, commended the construction’s quality and urged WAGMC to increase its outreach initiatives to encourage young people to choose jobs in genetics.
