Govt plans to set up an Immunology Lab

Government plans to set up an Immunology laboratory with the help of financing from the European and Developing countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP).

Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs, Professor Nkandu Luo, who represented the Zambian Government at the launch of the second phase of the EDCTP initiative, dubbed ‘EDCTP II’ said she will engage Minister of Health, Dr. Joseph Kasonde so that an existing laboratory could be identified in Zambia and then refurbished into an Immunology laboratory for developing cell cultures to be used in the treatment of patients.

Professor Luo was speaking after attending the launch of EDCTP II in Cape Town South Africa. She sits on the Developing Countries Coordinating Council (DCCC) which is the advisory body of the EDCTP.

She said it was announced at the launch in Cape Town that EDCTP II was coming with a bigger budget which will also be supported by the Melinda Gates Foundation apart from the European countries.

Professor Luo said Zambia now stood to benefit even more hence her opening discussions with officials at the launch to look at new ways of treating different ailments such as HIV and AIDS, lung diseases and others complicated conditions.

Professor Luo said countries have accessed as much as two million euros for use in carrying out studies, infrastructure development, delivery framework development and for actual research requirements.

This is contained in a statement issued to QFM News by Press Secretary at Zambia’s High Commission in South Africa Nicky Shabolyo.