Dr. Nsiah-Asare at the launch of the project in Accra
The National Vaccine Institute which will facilitate the coordination of all vaccine production and manufacturing activities in the country is nearing completion.
Presidential Advisor on Health and member of the Presidential Vaccine Manufacturing Committee, Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, said the institute is about 95 per cent complete.
“We will have a National Vaccine Institute Secretariat and by next year January, we will start putting in the necessary personnel. We have started training and we are working together with the private sector for a robust Institute,” he said.
He disclosed that the facility is expected to be operational by 2023, adding that Parliament is expected to pass the Act that would give the institute its legal backing soon.
Dr. Nsiah-Asare made the announcement at the launch of the DEK vaccine project which seeks to achieve vaccine security through the development of a Fill & Finish facility in the country.
The project is being undertaken by DEK Vaccines Limited, a consortium of three Ghanaian pharmaceutical companies; Danadams, Ernest Chemists, and Kinapharma.
Managing Director of DEK Limited, Dr. Kofi Nsiah-Poku, said the US$122 million facility will have the capacity for 100 million doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, and potential to scale this up to 200 million doses of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 vaccines.
He added that the facility is expected to begin the manufacturing of vaccines in Ghana by mid-2024.
Dr. Nsiah-Poku said the project would be funded by the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group.
He said by mid-2024 the first batch of local vaccines for Malaria, Meningococcal and COVID-19 would be produced to realise the health security returns for Africa.
“The proposed F&F facility will initially focus on providing F&F services for COVID-19 mRNA vaccine drug substance through a single production line,” he said.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri