The Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research says it is under intense pressure as the country readies to prevent the spread of the deadly COVID-19.

Authorities at the Institute fear they may not be able to conduct rapid tests if substantial amounts of suspected cases are recorded if it is unable to embark on certification of equipment used to carry out the tests.

The centre has so far tested over 60 suspected cases with two returning positive.

This, according to the Head of the Institute, Kwabena Anang the certification will ensure that the devices meet international standards and boost the credibility of test results.

“Most of the equipment that we use require to be certified to assure the world that the tests that we run and the results that come out are accurate. For us to do that we have to pay fees for certification.

"We have equipment that will cost us about $25,000 for just one certification. Some of the equipment we are using in testing COVID-19 also need this kind of certification," Prof Anang said on Top Story Friday.

Prof. Anang further clarified that funds from the government are crucial to prevent the services of the facility’s equipment grinding to a halt by the mid-April 2020.

“We are raising the issue with the Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health so that appropriate funding is made available so that we will not need to shut down any equipment,” he added.

He was, however, confident that government would come to the rescue by next week adding that “the minister of health himself has contacted us so I believe that these issues will be sorted out by the middle of next week.”

The head of Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research also revealed that more tests were being conducted with the COVID-19 test kits.

“We are actually set up to do more than a hundred test but for public health and emergency response reasons, I wouldn’t like to mention the number. But we are far beyond 100,” he said.

The Ministry of Health earlier announced that two cases of coronavirus infection had been confirmed in Ghana.

The cases, according to the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, were confirmed on Thursday, March 12, 2020.