Ghana to start producing own Covid-19 vaccines in January 2024

Director General of the Ghana Health Service Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye receives the Covid-19 vaccine during the vaccination campaign at the Ridge Hospital in Accra, Ghana March 2, 2021. [Reuters]

Ghana will start producing its own COVID-19 vaccines in January 2024, President Nana Akufo-Addo said on Wednesday in his State of the Nation Address in parliament.

"A bill will shortly be brought to you, in this House, for your support and approval for the establishment of the National Vaccine Institute," he said.

That institute will lay out a strategy that will enable the West African country to begin the first phase of commercial production in January 2024, he added without providing further details.

So far Ghana has fully vaccinated around 21.4% of its 30-million-odd inhabitants against coronavirus, according to Reuters data.

The government lifted most remaining coronavirus restrictions over the weekend, citing rapidly declining infections and a relatively successful inoculation campaign.

The president also announced a new assembly plant with capacity to assemble 5,000 new vehicles per annum has been established by Nissan (7201.T) in the eastern port city of Tema, which is currently producing Nissan and Peugeot brands of vehicles for the Ghanaian and West African markets.