National Vaccine Institute targets first local vaccine production by 2027

The National Vaccine Institute (NVI) has announced that Ghana is on track to manufacture its first locally produced vaccine by 2027. Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, Chief Executive Officer of the NVI, revealed during a parliamentary briefing that the initial production efforts are focused on a tetanus-diphtheria vaccine. This project is currently being implemented at the facilities of Atlantic Lifesciences Limited, where essential production processes have already commenced following the arrival of critical manufacturing materials in the country.

The initiative is anchored by a strategic technology transfer agreement with PT Bio Farma, a leading Indonesian pharmaceutical company. This partnership is designed to facilitate the exchange of technical expertise and provide the necessary framework for local scientific institutions and private manufacturers to participate in the production cycle. By leveraging international collaborations alongside domestic private sector capacity, the project aims to create a sustainable and technically proficient vaccine manufacturing environment within Ghana.

This development represents a major step toward pharmaceutical self-sufficiency, seeking to reduce Ghana's long-standing reliance on imported vaccines. Establishing a domestic manufacturing ecosystem is expected to enhance national health security and provide a safeguard against future global supply chain disruptions. If successful, the 2027 target will mark a significant milestone in Ghana's healthcare history, potentially expanding the country's capacity to produce a wider range of essential biological products for the West African sub-region.