General News of Wednesday, 28 August 2019

Source: abcnewsgh.com

$200 Million needed to test 'Made in Ghana' cure for AIDS

Prof. Dr. Samuel Ato Duncan, Executive President, Center of Awareness Global Peace Mission Prof. Dr. Samuel Ato Duncan, Executive President, Center of Awareness Global Peace Mission

Center of Awareness Global Peace Mission, a non-governmental organization currently in the process of discovering a cure for HIV/AIDS has indicated that about $200 million is needed to undertake a worldwide trial of the cure, ABC News has gathered.

The Executive President of the mission, Prof. Dr. Samuel Ato Duncan made this revelation on Monday at the inauguration of a 13-member Board for the Mission.

The occasion was also used to launch a research fund to support a research into the cure for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

According to the Executive President, the core mandate of the board is to plan and execute strategies aimed at raising funds towards concluding research works across the globe to confirm the potency of COA FS to cure HIV Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

Prof. Ato Duncan at the event made known that his research to find a cure for the deadly disease started as far back as November 2005. This ambitious project has cost him and the NGO over $20 million without any support from any institution.

He, however, averred that with intensive research and support, the project can be completed within the next two to four years. According to Prof. Duncan, with the stage the research has gotten to, the Mission needs between $100million and $200million to complete the entire research work.

“It is a very comprehensive research. We want to use international standards so at least, thousand people are needed for the trial. After we have gotten enough people, then at the end of the research we can safely conclude that we have gotten a cure for HIV/AIDS. It is very expensive. $100 to $200 million is needed. $100 million will take and care of the research itself and the other $100 million will take care of the machines, equipment and all other things”, the Executive Director for the Mission disclosed.

The Mission is, therefore, appealing to the general public including the government, corporate institutions, philanthropists, individuals among others to come to their aid to help fund this prospective breakthrough cure.

Prof Duncan noted that the remaining research will be conducted in collaboration with five different institutions including Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon; and the Centre for Plant Medicine Research, Akuapem Mampong.