A nationwide vaccine perception survey conducted by the National Vaccine Institute has revealed that less than a quarter (14.3 per cent) of Ghanaians are aware of the country’s plans to begin local vaccine production in 2027.
Despite high public confidence in vaccines generally, the study highlights the urgent need for intensified public education on Ghana’s vaccine manufacturing agenda to combat misinformation and encourage public ownership and confidence in the initiative.
The survey, which covered all 16 regions and 55 districts, analysed 13,905 valid responses and examined public perceptions of vaccines, barriers to acceptance, and misinformation trends affecting vaccine uptake.
It sought to provide an evidence-based foundation for targeted public education and behaviour-change interventions ahead of Ghana’s local vaccine production by next year.
The findings revealed regional disparities in vaccine acceptance, with urbanised regions such as Greater Accra, Ashanti and Central recording comparatively lower acceptance levels despite greater access to information.
In contrast, rural communities in northern Ghana and regions such as Oti demonstrated stronger trust and acceptance of vaccines.
“These regional variations underscore the importance of targeted and context-specific communication strategies,” a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the NVI, Dr Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, stated.
According to him, the study further identified key barriers that could undermine vaccine uptake, including vaccine cost, long distances to vaccination centres, and weaknesses in storage and transportation systems, particularly in rural communities.
“Operational concerns, especially regarding cold chain systems in rural areas, were also identified as factors that could undermine public confidence at the point of delivery.
“The NVI and relevant stakeholders are therefore expected to strengthen cold chain infrastructure, improve storage and transportation systems, and ensure transparent handling protocols to maintain public trust,” he noted.
Dr Sodzi-Tettey said although Ghana had a strong foundation of vaccine confidence, more work needed to be done to close the awareness and trust gap regarding locally produced vaccines.
“What is needed now is targeted policy and communication strategies to address misinformation, cost barriers, and regional disparities in order to encourage uptake,” he stated.
Ghana is expected to begin local vaccine production in 2027 as part of efforts to strengthen vaccine self-sufficiency and improve national health security.
The initiative also aligns with the broader African Union goal under the Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM), which seeks to ensure that Africa produces at least 60 per cent of the vaccines used on the continent by 2040.
The push for local vaccine manufacturing gained momentum following lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed Africa’s heavy dependence on imported vaccines and vulnerabilities in global supply chains.
Countries including Ghana, Senegal, South Africa and Rwanda are among those advancing efforts to establish or expand local vaccine manufacturing capacity.
In Ghana, local pharmaceutical companies such as DEK Vaccines Limited and Atlantic Lifesciences Limited are positioning themselves to support vaccine production and strengthen the country’s public health preparedness.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
Follow our WhatsApp Channel now! https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAjG7g3gvWajUAEX12Q
