Funder:
World Bank & Government of Ghana through Ministry of Health
Amount: GHC 148,130
Project Period: November 2021-December 2022

Collaborating institutions

Ministry of Health, Ghana Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Diseases
Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre
Puddicombe Way
Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge, UK (Prof. Ravindra Gupta)

Overview of the Project:
The incorporation of surveillance systems including strengthening the capacities of laboratories to enable timely detection in targeted and at-risk populations to avert surges within such populations. The role the laboratory plays in surveillance is vital. However, it becomes important to support the operations of the laboratories. Such a supportive role, will enhance the capabilities of personnel in the laboratories to detect SARS-CoV-2 variants and mount surveillance strategies for other epidemic-prone pathogens. This project aims to determine the proportion of the Ghanaian population that carry antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 just before and after vaccination and its implication for public health response to the pandemic; to support the operations of laboratories and further conduct studies into antibody testing; and food product surveillance.

Project Impact:
Generating data on the immunity conferred by the vaccine will help determine whether the vaccines being used are relevant for the Ghanaian population or not. Further, conducting surveillance on food products will enable the tracing.

Link to Publication

SARS-COV-2 antibody responses to AZD1222 vaccination in West Africa – PubMed (nih.gov)