Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Ghana, (WiSTEM.GH) has joined the Covid-19 fight with financial support to Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research into Tropical Medicine, KCCR.

The undisclosed package is part of the organisation’s aim to inspire the next generation.

President of the association, Prof Ibok Oduro reiterated the need for women to support science as the driving force in the world and especially fight against the pandemic.

“WiSTEM is inspiring the next generation so the next generation should see women supporting STEM. For any institution that is enhancing that we should be able to show the next generation we can make a contribution in terms of skills, competencies, finances, etc. we want them to know we can support science for the next generation to understand women’s role in STEM,” she said.

“We want people to know it’s not out place when women are seen as frontliners. We’re representing women all over the world who’re making contributions in different forms to fighting Covid-19,” she stressed.

A virologist at the KCCR, Dr Augustina Angelina Sylverken, herself a member, called on the citizenry to adhere to Ghana Health Service’s safety measures as Ghana’s confirmed cases surpass 10,000.

She says it is crucial in curtailing spread of the pandemic.

“These are very simple yet uncomfortable measures.  We all struggle when we wear nose masks.  As citizens when we look at the numbers and we see an increase, we should ask ourselves what we’re doing in contributing to the numbers.”

Director of KCCR, Prof. Richard Odame Philips received the cash on behalf of Centre. Though he was happy the institution has not run out of PPEs, he called for more support.

“So far so good. We’re managing well and we’re getting consumables from Accra. For the team working in the lab, it is key for them to have the PPEs.  As we use them they need to be coming so we’ll continue to ask people to keep donating,” he appealed.