UG Members Part of Newly Inaugurated National Vaccine Institute Board

(L-R) Prof. William Kwabena Ampofo, Prof Gordon A. Awandare, and Prof. Alex Dodoo

The President of the Republic, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inaugurated a thirteen (13) member governing board for the National Vaccine Institute (NVI), to develop policy direction and implementation for vaccine production and manufacturing in Ghana.  

The mandate of NVI is to among other things coordinate and facilitate the capacity of DEKS Vaccines Ltd. and other domestic pharmaceutical companies to fill, finish and package mRNA COVID-19 and other vaccines, such as those against malaria and tuberculosis. 

Prof. William Kwabena Ampofo, former Head of the Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, is the Chief Executive Officer of NVI. Prof Gordon A. Awandare, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Academic and Student Affairs and Director of the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), and Prof. Alex Dodoo, former Director of the Centre for Tropical, Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Ghana Medical School, are also members of the Board.  

Others are Dr. Anarfi Asamoa-Baah, Chairman; Prof Rita Akosua Dickson; Prof. Kofi Opoku Nti; Dr. Patrick Kuma Aboagye; Prof., Dr. Baffour-Awuah; Dr. Delese Darko; Dr. Daniel Gyingiri Achel; Mr. Mustapha Tawiah Kumah; Mr. Kofi Nsiah-Poku and Ms. Fredrica Sala Illiasu. 

President Akufo-Addo in a group photo with members of the Board

 

President Akufo Addo acknowledged that the task assigned is a challenging one but emphasized his firm belief in the competencies and experiences of the members of the Board.  While congratulating the members, the President assured them of his full support to undertake all that is required to make Ghana a vaccine manufacturing hub not only in West Africa but also in the entire African continent. 

The President noted that the government had to take critical steps in formulating a concrete plan towards ensuring that Ghana is not negatively affected by vaccine nationalism in the future. “We need to take our destiny into our own hands”, H.E. Akufo Addo said.