Ghana To Begin Vaccine Production In January 2024

President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo says Ghana will begin commercial domestic production of vaccines in January 2024.

Addressing the Nation on the State of the Nation (SONA), President Akufo-Addo noted that the committee he set up last year headed by Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has put in place a comprehensive strategy for the production of vaccines domestically.

“Mr. Speaker, the Presidential Vaccine Manufacturing Committee, which I set up to respond to this obvious deficiency, has put in place a comprehensive strategy for domestic vaccine production, and the establishment of a National Vaccine Institute to implement the strategy, which will enable us to begin the first phase of commercial production in January 2024.”

He reiterated that a Bill will be submitted to Parliament soon, for approval for the establishment of the National Vaccine Institute.

He noted that Ghana “had to learn some very hard lessons, and our belief in the need to be self-sufficient was reinforced when vaccine nationalism was played out blatantly by the rich and powerful countries”.

During a covid update address from President Akufo-Addo last Sunday, he announced that twenty-five million dollars ($25 million) have been committed to develop our domestic vaccine production capability, and facilitate the capacity of domestic pharmaceutical companies to fill, finish and package mRNA COVID-19, malaria, tuberculosis, and other vaccines, as the first step towards vaccine production.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini