In a colorful ceremony held on Monday May 23, 2022 at AHRI’s premises, AHRI in partnership with IVI officially launched the AHRI-IVI Collaborating Center which will see both partners collaborating on joint vaccine research, development and, capacity-building for global health.
During the ceremony that was also transmitted virtually to the IVI-team in Seoul, in his remark, AHRI- Director General Prof. Kassu said; “Given IVI’s core mission of dedicating to vaccines and vaccination for global health in addition to its rich experience and wide international network makes IVI an ideal partner for AHRI to transfer technology particularly related to vaccinology science and to realize vaccine production in the country. Moreover, exchanging of staffs, academic, educational, scientific, and scholarly materials between AHRI and IVI is also instrumental for technology transfer and experience sharing that will definitely improve the capacity of both institutes to attain their respective institutional missions. Taking into consideration AHRI’s excellent track record of partnership with international organizations, I can assure you that AHRI will exert all its effort to make this collaboration centre productive.”
Similarly, IVI- Director General, Dr. Jerome Kim, expressed his congratulatory remarks by stating, “The AHRI-IVI Collaborating Center embodies IVI’s mission to not only advance the science of vaccines and their widespread availability, but our equally important commitment to build vaccine R&D capacity everywhere we work. We’re extremely pleased to launch this research and training site with AHRI, particularly on the heels of our successful launch of a mass OCV vaccination campaign to protect 100,000 people from cholera. This collaborating center will provide even more opportunities to make real-world public health impact together.”
H.E Dr. Dereje Duguma, State Minister for Health, who was in attendance during the launch said, “Ethiopia and Korea have had a fruitful cooperation that has spanned many decades. As a Ministry, we commend this collaboration that seeks to make vaccines accessible to the most vulnerable people of Ethiopia. However, this should not only stop with cholera vaccine, but should also, in the future, expand to other communicable and non-communicable diseases. The support given by IVI today and other pertinent stakeholders is important, and it should be known that Ethiopia is a gateway to Africa. Thus, working on such collaboration does not only have impact in Ethiopia, but also reaches other countries in Africa as well.”
“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has taught us two lessons among other things: vaccine research must be encouraged, and the international community must work together to ensure swift and effective responses to infectious diseases. I hope this Collaborating Center will strengthen the ongoing research partnership between IVI and AHRI and make progress toward their common vision: a world free of suffering from infectious diseases.,” remarked H.E. Kang Seok-hee, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Ethiopia, at the event.
The AHRI-IVI Collaborating Center that has now officially been launched will serve as a research and training site to advance vaccines for global health. Collaborators from both organizations will conduct vaccine research and clinical development, engage in disease surveillance and policy studies, provide training across vaccinology, and support vaccine introduction programs.
The AHRI-IVI Collaborating Center is the third of its kind, joining a network of IVI Collaborating Centers in Ghana and Madagascar with the aim of co-developing research projects and building in-country capacity.