Mahama announces plans to establish vaccine production hub in Ghana
President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to establish a vaccine production hub in Ghana as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s pharmaceutical industry, boost local manufacturing and reduce reliance on imported medical products.
The initiative forms part of the government’s broader strategy to promote health sovereignty, create jobs and position Ghana as a pharmaceutical manufacturing centre for the African market.
President Mahama said the COVID-19 pandemic had exposed the vulnerabilities associated with Africa’s dependence on external suppliers for essential medical products, particularly vaccines.
Speaking during a courtesy call by chiefs from the Western North Region, he said the experience had reinforced the need for Ghana to develop its own capacity to produce vaccines and medicines.
“We have learnt a lesson, and we want to produce our own vaccines and medicines,” he said.
The President also highlighted the government’s commitment to the Accra Reset initiative, which he said sought to strengthen health sovereignty, increase investment in healthcare and reduce the continent’s dependence on external support.
“There are other issues we are working on, including the Accra Reset, which is aimed at achieving health sovereignty, investing in the health of our people and breaking the cycle of dependency,” he said.
President Mahama recalled the challenges African countries faced in accessing vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that many countries on the continent had to wait while other parts of the world secured supplies.
“We learnt a lesson from COVID-19. When vaccines became available, Africa was placed at the end of the queue. Everybody received vaccines before us,” he said.
He warned that the consequences for the continent could have been more severe if the disease had caused widespread serious illness before vaccines became available.
“If God had not given us immunity that prevented COVID-19 from affecting us severely, the whole of Africa could have been wiped out before even one vaccine arrived here,” he said.
The President said the government was committed to supporting initiatives that would build domestic pharmaceutical production capacity and strengthen Ghana’s ability to respond to future public health emergencies.
“Those are issues we are championing,” he added.
The proposed vaccine production hub is expected to form part of broader efforts to expand local pharmaceutical manufacturing, improve access to essential medical products and reduce dependence on imports.
The initiative also reflects the government’s stated ambition to strengthen Ghana’s health sovereignty while developing the country’s pharmaceutical industry and creating employment opportunities.
Source: Sekunde FM
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