Coronavirus: 3 local companies present proposals to produce vaccine – Agyeman-Manu

Three Ghanaian companies working to produce Covid-19 vaccines locally have presented proposals on their plans to government.

Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu who revealed this to journalists in Accra this week, said the companies have already prepared their factories for take-off, once government approves their plan.

He did not name the companies but said members of the committee constituted by government to produce an action plan on how the country can develop and manufacture its own vaccines, have already visited some of them.

“There are about three or so local companies who have already started preparing factories for covid-19 in Ghana. The committee has visited one of them and I am yet to visit the other one. They have sent proposal to the committee and they are having serious engagement with the committee.”

The Health Minister further revealed that the committee is chaired by renowned scientist, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng.

The committee he said will guide and make recommendation on the initiative to his outfit.

In his 24th address to the nation on measures taken to curtail the spread of Coronavirus in Ghana, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced he had constituted a committee to prepare the country for local production of vaccines, especially Covid-vaccines.

Prioritising the fight against the deadly virus, Mr Agyeman-Manu revealed that Akufo-Addo is poised in ensuring the manufacturing of local covid-19 vaccine.

According to him, “the president wants us to continue to do the 13 or traditional vaccine administered in the country. So covid is the priority immediately but beyond that, we will continue to expand development.

“All the vaccines can be used feasible depending on what technology you are using so it will depend on the manufactures and the technologies that they are using,” he added.