COMMENTARY ON MOVES BY ECOWAS TO FACILITATE COVID-19 VACCINE PRODUCTION.
Though Covid-19 has brought in its wake so much anguish, devastation, real havoc including deaths and heavy economic downturn, the disease has however compelled the world to engage in serious thinking outside the box. There is now an innovation galore. Though many businesses have collapsed, others are booming especially the giant pharmaceutical companies and other industries and individuals who produce Personal Protective Equipment such as gowns, sanitisers, liquid soap, nose masks and tissue paper.
In Ghana for instance industries that were hitherto manufacturing alcoholic beverages are now using the alcohol to produce sanitisers. The telecommunication industries have also increased coverage due to migration of most jobs onto the digital platform. Most schools both private and government were teaching students through online platforms during the closure of schools. International conferences including those of the UN General Assembly which would have been attended by large government delegations with the taxpayer’s monies were done virtually, while some funerals were and are still being held virtually. There has been reduction in cholera cases due to frequent handwashing as one of the COVID-19 safety protocols. Above all, there has been bonding of families especially with the younger ones. The agric sector is also formulating a new crop production formula known as Hydroponic production which can comfortably be done in homes.
The world heaved a sigh of relief with the development of the COVID-19 vaccine within an unusual short spate of time. Achievement of this feat has been attributed to the new global approach to vaccine development which drew unprecedented international attention, cooperation and use of resources which enabled actors to work with speed to stop people from dying and to protect livelihoods.
Vaccine production is capital intensive and has always been the preserve of the northern countries, Western world Europe due to their financial clout and support from moguls. Africa has capable researchers and scientists who could equally produce COVID-19 vaccines or herbal medicines which can help deal with the disease but are not being heard. The FDA has already certified some herbal preparations and is now having clinical trials with Nibima, a Ghanaian herbal medicine.
Perhaps one good piece of information was the President’s announcement in his 24th address to the nation that government has established a committee to formulate a concrete plan for vaccine development and manufacturing in Ghana. This, I believe, excited the scientific community as it had clamoured for this for a long time. The African Export-Import Bank Afreximbank, a Pan African Multilateral Financial Institution announced a two-billion-dollar guarantee package for vaccine manufacturers in Africa to help curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was at a meeting with President Akuffo Addo a few months ago.
At the recent 59th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS held here in Accra, leaders saw the need for West Africa to produce its own COVID-19 vaccines. ECOWAS Chair President Akufo-Addo expressed frustration noting that COVID-19 is a major headache for the bloc. This step to manufacture the continent’s own vaccines is long overdue but thanks to the rush and bluff of the Western world in the supply of needed and highly expected Covid-19 vaccines which has exposed the overdependence of Africa on the developed world for almost everything.
Africa’s biggest multilateral financial institution the African Development Bank is investing three (3) billion dollars to support the production of COVID-19 vaccines by Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal. These developments are gratifying because the Phase 3 trials of the Malaria Vaccine, RTSS or Mosquirix were done at Eleven sites in Seven Africa countries including Ghana which had two sites, Kintampo and Agogo to gather safety and efficacy data on the malaria vaccine.
Currently, Ghana, Kenya and Malawi are leading the pilot introduction of the malaria vaccine in routine immunisation. There is therefore no doubt that Ghanaian and other Africa researchers and scientists can produce a vaccine for COVID-19 and other diseases when the needed support and facilities are provided. It is worth bringing our own into the global manufacturing picture because there are excellent brains in the Ghanaian and African scientific arena.
This will stop the continent’s huge dependence on the outside world for most of its medical supplies and save the continent and individual countries hard-earned foreign exchange. It will also promote local ingenuity and boost confidence in our manufacturing industry among other benefits.
By: Theresa Owusu Ako, a Journalist.