President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut the sod at DEKs Vaccines Ltd.’s construction site in the Ga West Municipality, and work has since started.
The new manufacturing facility, according to President Akufo-Addo, will aid in the country’s goal of being self-sufficient in vaccine production.
The President of Ghana announced at the groundbreaking ceremony held on April 18th, 2023, in Media, Ga West Municipality, that the idea to produce vaccines in Ghana originated on February 28th, 2021, in Update 24 of the State of the Nation Address.
“The vaccine nationalism that was played out by the developed world, with the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, meant that we had to take urgent, critical steps towards making sure that never again would we be victims or pawns of the international vaccine order. It was imperative that we took our destiny into our own hands,” President Akufo-Addo stated.
Nana Addo announced that he has formed a committee to develop and manufacture vaccines in the country. Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a former minister of environment, science, technology, and innovation in the nation, will serve as the committee’s chair.
He went on to say that the European Investment Bank would provide $25 million in initial funding for the National Vaccine Institute, completing the entire plan in July 2021.
“Indeed, some two (2) months ago, on 14th February 2023, the National Vaccine Institute Bill 2022 was enacted by Parliament, for which I have given assent, and whose Board of Directors will soon be outdoored… Its establishment has enabled the National Vaccine Institute work in unison with Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Ghana, to boost our country’s capacity to be self-reliant in the production of vaccines, and bring all of us to this gathering where work on the construction of DEKs Vaccines Ltd will soon begin.” the President said.
In addition to supporting COVAX, AU, and AVATT in COVID-19 vaccine supply initiatives, President Akufo-Addo of Ghana has announced that Ghana will be joining Rwanda and Senegal in developing and manufacturing vaccines with the goal of becoming sub-Saharan Africa’s vaccine manufacturing hubs.
President Akufo-Addo expressed appreciation to the European Union, the European Investment Bank (EIB), the German government (through its agency GIZ), the Consortium of International Partners, and the European Investment Bank for their support of Ghana’s efforts by providing a five million euro ($5.9 million) grant to launch the project. He also extended his gratitude to the committee’s head and members “for the excellent work they have done
