Minority vows to probe $25M allocated for National Vaccine Institute

The Minority in Parliament says it will probe the allocation of $25 million for the establishment of a National Vaccine Institute by President Akufo-Addo.

The President in his 26th COVID-19 update stated that government had committed $25 million for the establishment of a National Vaccine Institute to spearhead the manufacture of vaccines to meet national and regional needs.

Speaking to journalists after the passage of the National Vaccine Institute Bill 2022, the Ranking Member on the Health Committee of Parliament, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said the Minority will investigate the committed funds for the project.

“To a large extent, we have passed the law even before the President allocated about $25 million to the committee that the President constituted. Now that the law has been passed, we will also look into how that money has been expended, that is also very important,” Mr. Akandoh said.

The establishment of the institute forms part of recommendations by a committee established by the government to formulate a concrete plan for vaccine development and manufacturing in Ghana.

The idea came about due to the challenges Ghana has faced in its attempt to acquire COVID-19 vaccines.

The institute, according to the President will be charged with delivering six clear mandates:
1. Establishing local vaccine manufacturing plants;
2. Deepening Research & Development (R&D) for vaccines in Ghana;
3. Upgrading and strengthening the FDA;
4. Forging bilateral and multilateral partnerships for vaccine manufacturing in various areas, such as funding, clinical trials, technology transfer, licensing, and assignment of intellectual property rights;
5. Building the human resource base for vaccine discovery, development, and manufacture; and
6. Establishing a permanent national secretariat to coordinate vaccine development and manufacture