BY STAFF REPORTER
Over the last 15 months, Ethiopia has been undertaking various activities to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate the impact of the virus. Particularly, through devising a number of COVID-19 mitigation and response strategies including establishing an Emergency Operation Center, National Disaster Risk Management Council led by the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office; and Public Health Emergency Management incorporated a multi-sectorial national taskforce and led by the Minister of Health; it has made all it can to reduce the spread of the pandemic and its impact.
In the same vein, various studies and researches have been conducted by universities, health institutions aiming to reduce the spread of the pandemic.
Recently, a two-day national COVID-19 Research Summit aimed at evaluating studies, researches and innovations conducted during the past one year on COVID-19 was held in the capital Addis Ababa.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen said that since the first case of COVID-19 was reported on 13 March 2020 in Ethiopia, higher education institutions; research and innovation centers have contributed a lot in containing the spread of the pandemic.
A number of higher education institutions and research centers were also converted to quarantine centers following government’s COVID-19 mitigation and response strategies.
The role universities and research centers play in building a strong health system is crucial. Hence, universities, research institutes, and hospitals should continue their endeavors and strengthen efforts through producing knowledge -based researches and innovations.
“We are still experiencing the challenges of the pandemic in our day-to day life. Thus, mitigation and prevention efforts should be intensified.”
As to the Minister, researches and innovations need to be strengthened to build the capacity of the country in controlling and preventing the disease.
Mentioning the crucial part studies, researches, and innovative works yield for country’s overall development, Demeke urged all stakeholders to strengthen integration in supporting scientific researches and innovations.
Health Minister, Dr. Lia Tadesse also said that since the past one year, universities and research centers have conducted about 150 researches on COVID-19. The Ministry has also allocated about 50 million Birr to support researches and innovations activities conducted on COVID-19 pandemic.
Expressing her Ministry’s commitment in supporting scientific researches and innovations made on the pandemic, Dr. Lia said that institutionalizing scientific researches and innovations is of greater importance to foster further collaboration and strong response to the pandemic.
Science and Higher Education Minister, Samuel Urkato on his part said that research centers and higher education institutions should step up efforts to reduce the spread of the pandemic and its burden.
The research summit reviewed limitations and strengths of researches in the year
The summit also recognized researches, studies and technological innovations made by higher education institutions, research and innovation centers and have played substantial contributions role in the national COVID-19 response efforts.
Accordingly, five university hospitals and over 20 university and research centers have received certificates of recognition for their role in COVID-19 response in the past one year.
The summit was co-organized by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Ministry of Health, it was learnt.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD JUNE 17 /2021
