Source: Ebenezer Madugu
Government has announced a major push to priorities locally manufactured vaccines and pharmaceuticals in public procurement as part of efforts to strengthen Ghana’s health security and reduce import dependence.
President John Dramani Mahama disclosed in his State of the Nation Address that steps are being finalized to implement advance market commitments that will give preference to Ghana-made vaccines and medicines.
As part of this strategy, government has allocated GH¢50 million in seed funding to the National Vaccine Institute to accelerate local vaccine research and production.
In a significant milestone, a local pharmaceutical manufacturer in 2025 secured market authorisation to produce snake venom antiserum in Ghana. Production of the tetanus-diphtheria vaccine is also expected to begin this year through a partnership with an Indonesian pharmaceutical firm.
The President stressed that disease control and immunisation financing remain top priorities. The 2025 vaccine budget for children and pregnant women was increased by 46 percent to more than GH¢171 million, enabling the country to fully finance all essential vaccines and reduce the risk of preventable outbreaks.
Additionally, Ghana introduced the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in 2025 to protect young women and girls against cervical cancer.
President Mahama said the investments mark a deliberate shift toward health sovereignty, ensuring that Ghana builds resilient systems capable of safeguarding its population.
