Ninety-nine percent of vaccines used in Africa are imported while many countries rely on donations. The situation in Ghana is no different.
To boost the local production of vaccines in the country and also support the pharmaceutical industry, an agreement for the release of a grant of 32 million euros has been signed between Ghana and the European Union.
Under the EU initiative on the Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies (MAV+), which was initiated in 2021, part of the grant will be used to finance the construction of a vaccine manufacturing plant in Ghana.
Interacting with TV3 News’ Akua Oforiwa Darko, the C.E.O of the National Vaccine Institute, Professor William Ampofo, was optimistic that the global initiative would create an enabling environment for vaccine manufacturing in the country.
“Ghana has been spending more on vaccines so it would be an economic relief if the right process is set up for the private sector to produce vaccines locally to create jobs for the youth and accelerate the economic development of the country. Now, there is the need to strengthen public-private partnerships to support the pharmaceutical industry,” he further added.
Under the EU initiative on the Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies, which was initiated in 2021, part of the grant would be used to finance the construction of a vaccine manufacturing plant in Ghana.
Professor William Ampofo noted that investing in research and development would enable the FDA and other research institutions have the capacity to test all vaccines made in Ghana to ensure that it safe, reliable and reliable.
It is expected that the EU global initiative would help to spur Ghana’s economic growth and prosperity, leading to supplies of vaccines for in-country use as well as exporting vaccines to neighboring countries and region.
In April this year, the EU through the European Investment Bank (EIB), provided five million Euros as seed grant funding to the vaccine manufacturing unit at DEK vaccine limited.
