A fund to raise money to finance research activities leading to a cure for HIV/AIDS has been launched in Accra.
An initiative of the Centre of Awareness Global Peace Mission, an international non-governmental organisation with the mission to promote global peace, the fund was launched by the Omanhene of Ogua Traditional Area, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II.
Dubbed the Centre of Awareness Research Fund, monies raised would be used to conduct further research into COA FS and COA 72, which have the potential to cure HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other viral and cancer diseases.
The research would be conducted in collaboration with the Nogochi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana Legon; Centre for Plant Research, Akuapem Mampong; Biochemistry Department and the School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kwazulu Natal South Africa and Alfred Nobel University, Dnipro, Ukraine.
As part of the launch, a 13-member Advisory Board, including Osabarima Kwesi Atta II and the chairperson in charge of HIV and Tuberculosis Oversight Committee of the CCM, Ghana of the Global Fund, Evans Opata, was inaugurated to oversee the COA Research Fund and research activities to find cure to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Osabarima Atta II in his remarks commended the Centre of Awareness Global Peace Mission for the efforts the organisation was making to find a cure for HIV/AIDS, stressing that, a cure had to be found for HIV/AIDS to bring relief to individuals who have been afflicted by the disease.
He entreated individuals, corporate bodies, local and international organisations to donate to the fund to help raise financial resources to carry out further research to find a cure for HIV/AIDS.
Osabarima Atta II said individuals who wanted to donate to the fund could route their donations to the Centre of Awareness Global Peace Mission Fund account with GCB Bank Limited 3171130000499 (GHC), 3171500000021(USD), Vodacash +233(0)501136370 and MTN Mobile Money +233(0)555599996.
The international president of the Centre of Awareness Global Peace Mission, Professor Dr Samuel Ato Duncan said his mission was to see the world rid of HIV/AIDS, stressing “it is possible to cure HIV/AIDS.”
“My quest for funding cure for HIV/AIDS is not for my personal or monetary gain, but for the permanent freedom I want for all persons living with the condition called HIV/AIDS across the globe.
“The formula I discovered 13 years ago has proven from retrospective studies from credible research institutions that, it has some potentials for curing HIV/AIDS and the independent research conducted by myself and the Centre leaves me with no doubt that a potential cure for HIV/AIDs has been found in Ghana,” he said.
Prof Dr Duncan said so far more than $20 million had been invested in his bid to find cure for the HIV/AIDS, and it was estimated that more than $200 million would be needed to conduct research to come out with a drug to cure the disease.
Thus, he said, it had become necessary to seek public support to conduct further research into the two products which he had developed and had the potential to treat any viral disease and cancers.
He said, he was hopeful between two and four years from now, a cure could be found for HIV/AIDS if he got the necessary funding to procure equipment and attract researchers to conduct further studies into the COA FS and COA 72.
By Kingsley Asare
