The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah-Akandoh, has expressed the government’s commitment to promoting local pharmaceutical manufacturing of essential medicines and vaccines, to reduce dependency on imports and enhance medicine security.
He reiterated the government’s pledge to establish a National Bio-Equivalence Centre and a Pharmaceutical Research Institute, to advance scientific research and quality assurance;
All these, he said, are part of the agenda to position Ghana as a pharmaceutical hub in Africa through targeted investment incentives and regulatory reforms.
The Minister said this when twenty-three firms and individuals were honoured at the maiden Pharma Excellence Awards organised by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), on April 11, 2025.
He commended the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana for this bold and visionary step, saying, “This platform not only uplifts excellence but also strengthens our collective resolve to advance healthcare delivery in this country”.
“Tonight, we honour distinction—in—service, innovation, academic and clinical research, leadership, and in the shared mission to deliver quality healthcare to our people. The 23 diverse award categories reflect the richness and depth of pharmacy practice — from community and hospital pharmacy to regulation, academia, industry, and public health”.
Pharmaceutical Sector Strategic Pillar for Industrial Revolution
The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, for her part, said she views the pharmaceutical sector not only through the lens of public health, but also as a strategic pillar of the industrial transformation agenda.
“The COVID-19 pandemic taught us a powerful lesson about the importance of local pharmaceutical production and supply chain resilience. It reminded us that health security is indeed a matter of national security”, she pointed out.
She added that the celebration of excellence must also be a call to action, stating, “Let us ask ourselves: how do we build a pharmaceutical industry that is not only excellent in performance, but also inclusive, innovative, and globally relevant?
“We must encourage public-private partnerships, invest in research and development, and harness the potential of digital health technologies to transform how pharmaceutical care is delivered in Ghana”, she explained.
