The Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has called on the National Vaccine Institute (NVI) to spearhead Ghana’s drive towards vaccine sovereignty through local research, development, and production.
Speaking during the swearing-in of five newly constituted boards of health regulatory bodies, the Minister emphasized the urgent need to reduce the country’s reliance on imported vaccines. He specifically tasked the NVI to transition Ghana from a vaccine-consuming nation to one capable of producing its own vaccines.
“Vaccines save lives. Ghana must shift from being a purchaser to a producer,” Hon. Akandoh stated. He referenced the COVID-19 pandemic as a wake-up call that underscored the importance of national vaccine security.
The Minister reaffirmed government’s commitment to supporting the NVI with the necessary tools and resources to drive vaccine innovation and manufacturing locally, as part of broader efforts to strengthen the country’s health system.
