Ghana has paid $24.5 million to GAVI to secure a regular supply of vaccines, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Health Minister, has disclosed.
He said the Government had demonstrated a steadfast commitment to the health and well-being of its children.
“This year, we increased the budget for vaccines by 46 per cent. As of today, we have fully paid the country’s $24.5 million to GAVI,” Mr Akandoh stated in his half-year report on the health sector presented at a press conference during the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency in Accra.
“This prompt payment will help ensure we avoid recurring shortages of critical vaccines, which can lead to outbreaks,” he said.
The Minister reiterated that by August, Ghana would receive hundreds of thousands of vaccine doses ready to reach every community across the nation.
“As we say, investing in our children’s health today is securing Ghana’s
tomorrow,” he stated, adding that, “we are not resting on our achievements. The government will continue to prioritise and invest in immunisation to protect every child and build a healthier nation for generations to come.”
With regards to Vaccine Manufacturing, Mr Akandoh said the government had pledged and remains dedicated to making Ghana a centre for vaccine manufacturing.
He said in this regard, the National Vaccine Institute was collaborating with the
regulatory authority and pharmaceutical industry stakeholders to bring this plan to reality.
Mr Akandoh announced that one of their private sector partners had obtained market authorisation from Ghana’s
Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to produce Snake Anti-Venom Serum on a commercial scale, marking the next step in their goal to shift Ghana from a consumer to a producer.