Ghana Ramps Up Vaccine Self-Sufficiency Drive with $75M Commitment
Ghana is accelerating plans to become self-sufficient in the production of life-saving vaccines by 2030, President John Dramani Mahama has announced.
Speaking at a vaccine manufacturing investment forum in Accra, President Mahama said the move is crucial as the country prepares to transition from support under the global vaccine alliance, Gavi, by the end of the decade.
To advance this goal, the government will inject an additional $50 million into the seed fund of the National Vaccine Institute, raising its total capital to $75 million. The investment is expected to support the establishment and expansion of vaccine manufacturing infrastructure across the country.
Reflecting on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, President Mahama highlighted Africa’s vulnerability during the global vaccine rollout, during which the continent received less than 1 percent of global vaccine supplies.
“This was not just an oversight. It was a structural failure,” he stated, emphasizing that Ghana’s efforts align with the African Union’s broader vision of achieving 60% vaccine production on the continent by 2040. Achieving this, he said, would require scaling up sovereign capabilities and fostering stronger institutional collaboration across Africa.
President Mahama also welcomed a $113 million investment pledge by Afreximbank to support two of Ghana’s leading vaccine manufacturers, describing it as a boost to the country’s growing pharmaceutical ambitions.
Ghana set up the National Vaccine Institute in April 2023 to lead and coordinate the country’s efforts in vaccine research, development, and production.
