The Chairman of the National Vaccine Development Committee, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has disclosed that Ghana is set to establish a vaccine production plant around next year.
Speaking at a stakeholder engagement , he indicated that President Akuffo-Addo is yet to approve the charter of the national vaccine institute.
“Two weeks ago, we presented a charter of the national vaccine institute to the President and if it is approved, the Minister of Health will prepare a Cabinet memo on this topic for presentation to Cabinet. If approved, it will then go to Parliament for a law to be passed, establishing this institute that is to coordinate the production of vaccine. This is an emergency and we need to work so that by next year or so, we will get a vaccine made in Ghana.”
Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng
Few months ago, President Akufo-Addo, as part of his strategies to battle COVID-19, created the National Vaccine Development Committee (NVDC) to devise effective measures towards the development of vaccines in Ghana.
Addressing the progress of the NVDC, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng disclosed that, the process will be spearheaded by the private sector.
Still speaking on the progress, the Chairman of NDVC disclosed that, “the consortium of three pharmaceutical companies; DANADAMS, Ernest Chemists and Kinapharma have gone ahead to pay a deposit for a plant so that we can produce the vaccine in Ghana. But if we want to do that, you have to order the equipment… If you place an order, it takes 14 months before it is delivered. The installation, tech-transfer, bulk supply of vaccines from elsewhere will take about two years.”
The Chairman of the Committee noted that their allies in Europe have assisted in identifying a manufacturing plant. Additionally, he indicated that the government has granted permission already, therefore the plant would be brought to Ghana soon.
“What is happening now is that our partners from Germany have helped us to locate a plant that was delivered to a company in Europe, but they did not use it. We know where it is, that is why the government has given an off-take to place an order for that plant. We hope that it will arrive by end of this year, installed, and then by next year we will be able to do a fit and finished vaccine in Ghana”
Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng
He emphasised that the Committee’s duty is to keep the institution in operation.
“This Committee, we have a very short mandate. By the end of the year, we should get the institute running and then other people will take over the work we are doing and establish the institute and let it run. I don’t think most of us will be part of the new team that is coming.”
Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng
However, in order to keep the institution running despite the government that comes to power, Professor Kwabena Frimpong explained that the committee has been designed to be under the office of the President.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Ghana Covid-19 response team, Dr Anarfi Asamoah Baah says government has engaged manufacturers of some of the Covid-19 vaccines to enable local pharmaceutical companies copy and produce it here under a fill and finish initiative.
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