The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), held a close-out meeting on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, to officially mark the successful completion of a joint project that began in 2022.
The event brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from JICA, the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, the University of Ghana, NMIMR researchers and partner institutions. It served as a platform to reflect on the project’s achievements, share experiences, and explore future collaboration opportunities.
In her welcome address, Director of NMIMR, Professor Dorothy Yeboah-Manu, expressed profound appreciation to JICA for their unwavering support throughout the three-year initiative. She highlighted JICA’s pivotal role in supporting the Institute’s Quality Management Systems (QMS) project, which has had a transformative impact on NMIMR’s quest for ISO Certification, research capacity, institutional operations, and training programmes.
“This partnership has been pivotal in embedding a strong culture of quality, streamlining our research systems, and building more resilient teams,” said Professor Yeboah-Manu. “The milestones we celebrate today are a testament to what meaningful collaboration can achieve.”
She noted that the collaboration contributed to the attainment of ISO 15189:2022 certification and a four-star rating under the Africa CDC Biosafety and Biosecurity Initiative—milestones that position NMIMR as a leader in medical research.
Professor Dorothy Yeboah-Manu, Director of NMIMR, delivering the welcome address at the project close-out meeting.
The Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Hiroshi Yoshimoto, congratulated NMIMR on the successful completion of the project and commended the Institute for its dedication and professionalism. “NMIMR’s progress is a shining example of what long-term partnership and commitment can deliver,” remarked Ambassador Yoshimoto. “Japan is proud to walk this journey with Ghana in advancing health systems and scientific excellence across the region.” He reaffirmed Japan’s continued commitment to supporting health research and capacity building in Ghana and expressed confidence that the collaboration would continue to yield impactful results.
H.E. Hiroshi Yamatomo, Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, congratulating NMIMR on the project’s success and reaffirming Japan’s support for health research.
Mr. Oda Ryotaro, Deputy Chief Representative of the JICA Ghana Office, also addressed participants. He shared his appreciation for NMIMR’s leadership and commitment throughout the project.
Mr. Oda commended the team for the successful implementation and congratulated the Institute on its ISO 15189:2022 certification and the four-star recognition from Africa CDC. He emphasized the need to institutionalize the knowledge and practices gained through the project to ensure long-term impact.
Mr. Oda Ryotaro, Deputy Chief Representative of JICA Ghana Office, expressing appreciation and encouraging sustainability of project gains.
Dr. Shigeyoshi Harada, Chief Advisor to the project, presented an overview of the project scope and implementation. He outlined its structure and strategic focus on biosafety, quality management, and infrastructure strengthening. Dr. Harada explained that the project was designed to be collaborative from the outset, combining Japanese expertise with NMIMR’s institutional knowledge to foster ownership and sustainability. He underscored the importance of teamwork, training, and continuous support in achieving the results being celebrated.
Dr. Shigeyoshi Harada, Chief Advisor to the project, outlining the scope and collaborative structure of the initiative.
Mr. Raymond Fatsu, QMS Mentor for the project, shared insights into the implementation journey. He outlined the progress made from the early stages, where systems required streamlining and documentation needed strengthening, to the eventual certification milestone. He noted improvements in internal audits, risk management, staff engagement, and standard operating procedures. Mr. Fatsu emphasized the need for sustained leadership commitment to maintain the gains made.
Mr. Raymond Fatsu, QMS Mentor sharing, insights into the implementation of quality management systems and their long-term impact.
Dr. Charles Quaye, Institutional Biosafety and Biosecurity Officer at NMIMR, gave a presentation on biosafety and biosecurity achievements. He discussed key interventions including risk assessments, safety audits, staff training, and the operationalization of biosafety committees. He emphasized the importance of sustaining these efforts to ensure research safety and compliance with international standards.
Dr. Charles Quaye, Institutional Biosafety and Biosecurity Officer presenting key achievements in biosafety and biosecurity.
Dr. Eric Kyei-Baffour, Facility Manager of the Advanced Research Laboratories (ARL), spoke on equipment and infrastructure improvements. He highlighted enhancements in laboratory layout, ventilation systems, equipment calibration, and maintenance protocols. He noted that equipment reliability is essential to scientific accuracy and praised the project for strengthening the ARL’s operational efficiency.
Dr. Eric Kyere-Baffour, Facility Manager of the Advanced Research Laboratories, speaking on equipment and infrastructure improvements.
Dr. Susan Adu-Amankwah, Institutional Quality Manager, delivered a presentation on the evaluation of the project. She explained the criteria used—timeliness, stakeholder engagement, knowledge transfer, and results—and reported that the project showed strong alignment between its objectives and outcomes. She highlighted improved staff capacity, system integration, and quality assurance practices and recommended periodic internal reviews to sustain progress.
Dr. Susan Adu-Amankwah, Institutional Quality Manager, presenting an evaluation of the project’s outcomes and sustainability strategies.
Other invited guests from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, the National Biosafety Authority (NBA), and the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) gave solidarity messages. Each of these institutions commended the project’s outcomes and reaffirmed their commitment to working with NMIMR and JICA to improve national systems in research, safety, and standardization.
In her closing remarks, Professor Yeboah-Manu emphasized that the end of the project marks a new chapter of continuous improvement and opportunity. “Today marks the close of one chapter and the opening of another,” she said. “With the foundation we have built, we are better positioned to lead with purpose, precision, and passion.”
There was a shared sense of optimism about the future of the NMIMR–JICA partnership, with both institutions expressing interest in exploring new avenues for collaboration to strengthen public health and scientific research in Ghana and across the continent.