The Honorary Consul of Indonesia to Ghana, H.E. Paskal A.B. Rois, paid a working visit to the National Vaccine Institute (NVI) in Accra on Tuesday, where he held discussions with Chief Executive Officer Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey and his Deputy, Dr. Faisal Nuhu.
The visit forms part of ongoing efforts to deepen Ghana–Indonesia relations in the health sector, particularly in vaccine research, development, and local production.
During the meeting, deliberations centered on the establishment of a vaccine production hub in Ghana, leveraging Indonesia’s global track record in vaccine manufacturing.
H.E. Rois highlighted Indonesia’s expertise through Bio Farma, the state-owned pharmaceutical giant that produces more than 2.3 billion doses of vaccines annually and supplies over 150 countries under World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF certifications.
H.E. Rois emphasized that a Ghana–Indonesia partnership could reduce Africa’s heavy reliance on imported vaccines and position Ghana as a vaccine manufacturing leader in the sub-region.
He also noted that Indonesia Aid is ready to support technical assistance programs, while Indonesian government scholarships have already benefitted Ghanaian students, with seven selected this year for studies in various academic fields.
He revealed ongoing discussions with Indonesia’s Ministry of Health to facilitate the supply of Monkeypox test kits to Ghana and proposed stronger cooperation between Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and Indonesia’s National Agency of Drug and Food Control to ensure regulatory harmonization in vaccine development and clinical trials.
Dr. Sodzi-Tettey welcomed the initiative and assured H.E. Rois of the Institute’s readiness to collaborate. He emphasized that government support and FDA regulatory oversight would be crucial to the success of such an ambitious project. He further noted that existing engagements between the National Vaccine Institute, Atlantic Life Sciences, and Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research are important building blocks for Ghana’s vaccine self-sufficiency agenda.
On human resource development, Dr. Sodzi-Tettey recommended that Ghana’s Ministry of Health and Indonesia formalize training opportunities through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This would create a structured framework for Ghanaian health professionals to access specialized training programs in Indonesia with clear guidelines on participation and knowledge transfer.
Concluding his visit, H.E. Rois expressed appreciation for the warm reception and reaffirmed his personal commitment, as well as that of the Republic of Indonesia, to strengthen Ghana–Indonesia bilateral ties in health, biotechnology, and beyond.
Source: AdomOnline.com
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