The President of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS), Dr Abu Abudu Rahamani, has urged lab scientists in Africa to find ways of creating opportunities and building capacity in the COVID-19 fight.

According to Dr Rahamani, although countries have been hit hard by the pandemic, lab scientists should not lose sight of the urgent need to devise means for opportunities.

Speaking at the 7th CelebrateLab West Africa Conference in Accra on Wednesday, 21 April 2021, Dr Rahamani said: "Let's look for ways to create opportunities and build capacity in handling infectious diseases including COVID-19".

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, has revealed that the government is exploring many avenues to acquire adequate COVID-19 vaccines for Ghana toward containing, combating and preventing the spread of the virus.

He told the media that: "Many vaccines have been registered at WHO and AU levels, which bind all of us, so, we're looking at Johnson & Johnson, we've myriad vaccines to choose from and we are also looking at the private sector, government-to-government approaches including individuals".

Also, the World Health Organisation Country Director, Dr Francis Chisaka Kasolo, said effective laboratory systems coupled with the role of the private sector in complementing the government's effort in fighting infectious disease, is crucial.

Dr Kasolo told the media: "Standards are very crucial in lab practice, standards will keep us running in term of the results that we get…"