Naruhito noted that in Africa, there were 22.4 million people infected with HIV/AIDS, which is 67 per cent of the world total, while in 2008, 1.4 million died of AIDS.
Speaking at the First Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Memorial Symposium in Accra, the Crown Prince, who arrived Accra on Sunday, expressed the hope that world leaders would encourage medical and health professionals to once more devote themselves to research on infectious diseases.
The symposium was attended by the first two recipients of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize - Dr. Brian Greenwood of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Dr. Mariam Were, a Kenyan public health advocate.
It also attracted eminent personalities around the world to come together to brainstorm on how to enhance medical research into parasitic and communicable diseases.
The symposium was also to share ideas on the ideals of the late Dr. Noguchi, the celebrated Japanese medical researcher, who died in Accra 21 May, 1928, from yellow fever, while researching into the disease in the country.
The symposium was to contribute in raising awareness of the importance of research in the field of infectious diseases, with a view to strengthen the health system in Africa.
Naruhito paid tribute to the pioneering efforts and devotion in the search for a cure for yellow fever by Noguchi.
The Crown Prince, who is also the Honorary President of the United Nations Secretary General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation, called for concerted efforts by the international community to find solution to infectious diseases that the world suffers from.
Ghana's Vice President John Dramani Mahama recalled that the Government of Japan established the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in Accra in 197 9 as donation to Ghana to help promote medical research and the institute has emerged as one of its foremost kind in sub-Saharan Africa.
Vice President Mahama said child mortality and improvement of maternal health care still remained challenges to the human race.
He expressed the appreciation of the government and people of Ghana to the Japanese Government for its development assistance to Ghana and described Japan as a true friend of Ghana.
"Young volunteers from Japan continue to arrive in Ghana to serve in some of the remotest parts of Ghana," Mahama said.
The Crown Prince leaves for Kenya on Wednesday on the second and final leg of his two-nation African tour.
Accra - Pana 10/03/2010
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