Construction of $122m vaccines manufacturing factory takes off in Ghana

The sod has been cut for the commencement of work on the construction of a multi-million dollar vaccines manufacturing factory in Ghana.

Speaking at the sod cutting ceremony on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at Medie in the Ga West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, says the $122.6 million DEKs Vaccines Limited, “will help our nation [Ghana] realise the dream of becoming self-sufficient in the production and manufacture of vaccines.”

DEKs Vaccines Limited, according to the President, is a private sector-led consortium of Ghanaian pharmaceutical companies.

Mr. Akufo-Addo announced that in the short term of two years, DEKs Vaccines Limited will fill, finish, and package Covid-19 and other vaccines such as those against tuberculosis and malaria.

The Ghanaian President added that in the medium-term, that is in five years, the target is to continue the establishment of more plants in Ghana to manufacture vaccines to meet WHO GMP standards.

According to him, the long-term target is to see Ghana produce a candidate vaccine in 10 years, using innovative technologies.

Managing Director of DEKs Vaccines Limited, Dr. Kofi Nsiah-Poku, disclosed that the factory when completed, will produce 600 million vaccines per year.

According to him, “DEKs Vaccine Limited is a $122 million investment with the capacity to produce 600 million doses of various vaccines annually.”

He pointed out that “This DEKs vaccine is designed to have a reserved capacity for emergency or pandemic, making it special as a socio-economic business venture.”

The DEKs Vaccines project is being undertaken with support from a number of key stakeholders including the European Union (EU).

Through the European Investment Bank, the EU has provided a €5 million support towards the production of vaccines in Ghana.

By Melvin Tarlue

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