National COVID-19 Research Summit Held
Addis Ababa -A two-day national COVID-19 research summit that evaluated researches and innovations on COVID-19 over the past one year concluded today.
The summit recognized researches, studies and technological innovations by higher education institutions, research and innovation centers that played a big role in the national COVID-19 response over the past year.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen said at the conclusion of the summit that the wave of COVID-19 was a big burden that highly challenged national capacity.
He said higher education institutions, research and innovation centers have contributed a lot in controlling and preventing the pandemic, starting from the first day COVID-19 was found in Ethiopia.
Explaining the activities by higher education institutions and research centers, he said a number of higher education institutions were transformed from education and research centers to quarantine places.
Demeke stressed that researches and innovations need to be strengthened to build the capacity of the country in controlling and prevention of the disease.
He also urged all stakeholders to strengthen integration in supporting scientific researches and innovations.
Health Minister, Dr. Lia Tadesse said her ministry allocated about 50 million Birr to support research and innovations related to COVID-19.
She said universities and research centers have so far conducted about 150 researches on COVID-19 in the past one year.
Expressing the commitment of the ministry to strengthening support for scientific researches and innovations regarding the pandemic, the minister said institutionalizing scientific researches and innovations is very crucial to bring a collaborative and strong response to COVID-19.
Science and Higher Education Minister, Samuel Urkato said research centers and higher education institutions have contributed strong research and innovations for the prevention and controlling of the disease in a short period of time.
He elaborated that higher education institutions have been also helping the prevention and controlling campaign by producing ventilators, masks, and sanitizer.
Some 5 university hospitals, over 20 university and research centers have received certificates of recognition for their role in COVID-19 response in the past one year.
The research summit reviewed limitations and strengths of researches in the year.
Source: Ethiopia News Agency