Ghana working to manufacture vaccines – Akufo-Addo reveals

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has hinted that a committee has been established to produce a plan on how Ghana can develop and manufacture its own vaccines.

Addressing the nation on Sunday, February 28, for the 24th time since the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus in March 2020, the President revealed that steps are being taken to ensure that coronavirus vaccines are produced locally as part of the fight against the virus in Ghana.

He said he is committed to combating the Coronavirus pandemic from the country therefore Ghana must produce its own local products.

Akufo-Addo indicated a committee to that effect which is chaired by a former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, has been formed.

“I want to reiterate my determination that we should manufacture our own vaccines here in Ghana. To that end, a Committee has been established under the Chairmanship of a former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, the world-renowned scientist, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng which is formulating a concrete plan of action towards vaccine development and manufacturing,” the President said.

He further said that the Vaccines Deployment Plan Ghana submitted to the World Health Organization (WHO) for approval was well received.

His comment follows the arrival of the vaccines into the country.

“We are the first country in the world to be recipients of vaccines from the COVAX facility. I want to express my appreciation to members of the COVID-19 taskforce which I chair and to officials of the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service for this commendable feat.

“The vaccine deployment plan we submitted to the WHO was well received. We are grateful also, naturally to the managers of the COVAX facility.”