Ghana hits milestone in local vaccine production – National Vaccine Institute CEO – Nsemkeka
In a significant stride toward vaccine self-sufficiency, Ghana has achieved a major breakthrough in local vaccine manufacturing, marking a turning point in Africa’s journey toward health sovereignty.
Speaking at the 9th J.E.A. Mills Leadership Lecture at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), the CEO of the National Vaccine Institute (NVI), Dr. Sodzi Sodzi Tettey, revealed that the Food and Drugs Authority has granted market authorisation to DEKOKA Life Sciences Group to begin local production of anti-snake venom serums.
“This is significant,” Dr. Tettey noted, “because the manufacturing process has passed safety and quality tests. It also marks the first locally produced, affordable, multi-species-targeted anti-serum in Ghana.”
The development is a crucial step under the African Union’s vision for 60% of vaccines used on the continent to be locally produced by 2040. Currently, Africa manufactures just 1% of the vaccines it uses.
Dr. Tettey highlighted Ghana’s public-private partnership model, with two companies – DEKOKA Life Sciences and EphA Vaccines Ltd – selected to lead local manufacturing. The NVI is also facilitating technology transfer partnerships with global institutions and working closely with the European Union, GIZ, and the World Bank to strengthen capacity.
“This is a modest but vital beginning for an institution that’s just two years old,” Dr. Tettey added, underscoring that the NVI is alive to its mandate of advancing vaccine research, development, and production in Ghana.