One of the potential COVID-19 vaccine producers in Ghana, DEK Consortium has disclosed that it will in July 2022 begin the construction and set up of the vaccine plant with the hope of achieving the President’s agenda of making Ghana a vaccine hub in the sub-region.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo earlier this year announced that Ghana will by 2024 begin the commercial production of Covid-19 vaccines to fight the pandemic.
Speaking on the sidelines of a high-level meeting with vaccine manufacturers in the ECOWAS Region in collaboration with Africa CDC, the Managing Director for DEK Consortium, Kofi Nsiah Poku, said his outfit will also produce other vaccines to tackle other health conditions.
“We are already getting the support, and we are working with partners to raise the funds to put up the facility. At the moment, we are doing the bankable feasibility studies which we will finish by the end of the month. Once that is ready, we need about three months to raise the money to start the facility itself.”
“Now, we are doing the development funding where we are ensuring that all the local authorities’ approval are received. All these are ongoing, and they will coincide when the bankable feasibility is ready. I hope that we will hit the ground by July. By twelve months, we are done and start with the trial and make sure that by 2024, the first COVID-19 vaccine will be produced in Ghana and supplied to Africa and probably back to Europe.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Presidential Vaccine Manufacturing Committee, Professor Frimpong Boateng said government is making frantic effort for the establishment of a National Vaccine Institute by the third quarter of the year.
“Cabinet has submitted a memorandum, the Bill is in Parliament, and we hope that when parliament resumes this month, a law of will be passed for the establishment of National COVID-19 Vaccine Institute”, he said.
Source: citinewsroom.com