The Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research (NMIMR) is to establish a unit to investigate Phyto-medicine, which are plant-based medicines, for the control of infectious and non-infectious diseases in the country.

The establishment of the unit would be a built-up of the seed sown by the late Dr Hideyo Noguchi years ago.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Accra on Tuesday, Dr James Brandful, a Senior Research Fellow of the Institute, said it has for the past 24 years of its establishment, expanded the frontiers of research into the various areas of diseases as its contribution to public programmes.

The Institute conducts research into diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, Expanded Immunisation Programme (EPI), yellow fever, maternal, child and food hygiene health.

The Institute has also expanded its work to include investigation into new frontiers of global parasite control of the "Ashitomo Initiative", which is the global effort to control parasites among children.

Dr Brandful said Dr Noguchi arrived in Ghana in 1927 to research into the virus of yellow fever and died six months later of the same disease.

"The work of Dr Noguchi has really spurred us on to work hard and continue with the work he started."

This, he said, would help fight diseases that affect children.

Dr Brandful said the Institute is faced with shortage of researchers and trained staff, adding that this has affected the speed of work.

"There are at the moment, 40 research assistants who are on contract and the Institute has employed university graduates to assist", he said.