The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has called on government to commit enough resources towards equipping health research centres to position the country to better fight future pandemics.

The Asante king suggested to the government to pay critical attention to health research centers in the country, adding that such facilities have improved the capacity of many nations to detect disease outbreaks.

He believes well-resourced health research centers will improve the healthcare delivery system.

He made this statement at the 25th-anniversary celebration of KCCR, where a new facility has been commissioned.

“As research forms the basis of development for any country, government must pay more attention to research centers and address the capacity gaps that exist. Health research centers are becoming critical tool for health care interventions in many nations across the World. Health Research centers have built the capacity of nations to detect, monitor, prevent, and deploy effective health response quickly for disease outbreaks,” Otumfuo said.

The Asantehene supported the centre with one million cedis.

Reading a speech on behalf of President Akufo-Addo, Presidential Advisor on health, Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare stated that the government is committed to completing the 111 hospitals under construction before leaving office.

“At the normal rate of growth, we are not likely to make up for the deficit in our health facility infrastructure for a very long time. Hence, the need for a special and dedicated programme for infrastructural development. The government is undertaking 111 health facilities across the country, which comprise the state-of-the-art standard 60 to100 beds districts hospitals, for all districts without hospitals, with accommodation for doctors, nurses and other health professionals,” the Presidential Advisor on health said.