By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
Ambassador of the Delegation of European Union (EU) to Ghana, Mr Irchad Razaaly, says his outfit’s approval for a five million Euro (€5M) grant funding from European Investment Bank to DEK Vaccine Limited for the construction of a state-of-art facility to manufacturing vaccines is a clear sign of EU’s commitment towards Ghana.
According to him, the EU will continue to support Ghana to become the vaccine manufacturing hub of Africa.
He explained that the completion of the construction of vaccines manufacturing factory will paved the way for ensuring that essential vaccines against diseases like malaria, COVID-19, human papillomavirus, pneumonia, rotavirus, and cholera are manufactured locally and also become accessible to every child born in Ghana and beyond.
The Ambassador addressing the gathering at a groundbreaking ceremony held at Medie near Accra where the factory will be sited noted that it was unsustainable for Africa to import over 90 per cent of its vaccines from elsewhere, saying the establishment of the factory would make Ghana and a handful of other countries key provider of vaccines for the rest of the continent.
“Africa is importing 90 per cent plus of its vaccine. It is consuming 95 per cent plus of vaccines produced elsewhere, and we agree this is not sustainable,” H E Raraaly said.
“The European Union today joined the groundbreaking ceremony of the DEK Vaccine Ltd’s manufacturing plant. This is yet another significant milestone of the Government of Ghana’s roadmap transforming Ghana into a Pan-African vaccine manufacturing hub.
I’m proud that the EU to Ghana is today fulfilling its promise to be a key supporter of vaccine manufacturing in Ghana.” He reiterated.
In his welcome remarks, Dr Kofi Nsiah-Poku, the Managing Director of DEK Vaccines Limited said he and his team were grateful to the EU for the historic support for the project.
According to him, the entire project will require some $122 million to execute it. Adding that receiving the five million Euros grant was a milestone as the money was free of interest.
DEK Vaccines Limited is a consortium of three Ghanaian pharmaceutical companies- Danadams, Ernest Chemists and Kinapharma- selected to produce vaccines for Ghana, the ECOWAS region and Africa to shore up the continent’s capability to produce vaccines locally.
The groundbreaking ceremony was done by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.
The ceremony was also attended by the British High Commissioner, government officials, development partners, chiefs among others.
The idea to manufacture vaccines locally was birthed during the COVID-19 pandemic when some African countries struggled to secure vaccines.