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PPP Aspiring National Chairman, Nana Ofori Owusu has asked government to decentralize the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR).

Speaking on Peace Peace  FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Nana Ofori Owusu believed as part of measures to curb the outbreak of diseases that are only traceable by the Institute, it is prudent for it to be spread across the regions of the country.

He expressed worry over the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research being the only institute that has the capabilities to treat certain viral diseases.

He asked the government to replicate the institute all over the nation and also equip private health facilities to be able to treat such diseases, particularly in remote areas.

“We have to decentralize it for the power of Noguchi to be felt at Regional levels . . . We must be able to replicate other Noguchi's closer to the people in order to help us react to outbreaks quicker”, he said.

Nana Ofori Owusu made this comment when he was discussing the outbreak of Lassa fever in Ghana's neighbouring country, Nigeria, which has reportedly claimed about 31 lives.

Ghanaians have been cautioned against the consumption of infected rats which cause the disease in order to prevent it.

Lassa fever is an acute and often fatal viral disease, with fever, occurring chiefly in West Africa. It is usually acquired from infected rats.

The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), set up in 1979 as a semi autonomous institute of the University of Ghana, is the leading biomedical research facility in Ghana.

The Institute is committed to research on national health priorities and training of biomedical scientists.