African Bank funds COVID-19 research projects in Angola

ANKARA

African Development Bank Group on Thursday committed to pay $1.04 million in support of two coronavirus pandemic research projects in Angola.

"The Epidemiological, Clinical and Laboratory Profile of COVID-19 in Angola and the Building COVID Capacity in Angola research projects received $431,590 and $613,029, respectively," read a statement issued by the group.

Organized by the Angolan Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, a signing ceremony was held on Monday in the Angolan capital.

"The event included a presentation of the research projects, as well as the signing of the funding agreements between the project implementation unit coordinator, Ricardo Queirós, and the respective principal researchers: Fernanda Dias, Professor at the Medicine Faculty of Agostinho Neto University, a local university; and Joana Afonso, General Director of the National Institute Research of Health Research,” said the statement.

“These research projects include the participation of reference research entities from Brazil, Portugal, Sweden and UK. The project is also being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention,” it read.

“The results of the scientific research will contribute to the construction of new knowledge about the virus, while strengthening national capacity in terms of staff training and availability of laboratory equipment for the health sector,” Joseph Ribeiro, African Development Bank Country Manager for Angola, who virtually attended the ceremony, was quoted as saying.

Angola so far has 812 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 33 deaths, according to data compiled by the US-based John Hopkins University.