The Ghana AIDS Commission has announced plans to introduce an HIV preventive vaccine by 2026, marking a major step in reducing new infections and strengthening the country’s fight against the virus.
The move comes as Ghana continues to grapple with high infection rates, with national data showing more than 15,000 new cases recorded in 2023.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, the Commission’s Director-General, Dr. Prosper Akanbong, described the vaccine rollout as a milestone in prevention efforts.
“As a country, we have already made the vaccine a core component of our HIV prevention programme,” Dr. Akanbong stated. “Initially, we will secure it from outside, but with the pharmacy organisations you see here, they have positioned themselves to be able to produce the vaccines locally.”
He added that discussions are already underway with pharmaceutical companies, with support from the German development agency GIZ.
“Together with GIZ, we are on track, and in the latter part of 2026 or the early part of 2027, we should be able to produce vaccines for Ghana,” he said.
The initiative is expected not only to advance HIV prevention but also to boost Ghana’s pharmaceutical capacity through local vaccine production.
According to the Ghana AIDS Commission and UNAIDS, about 354,000 people were living with HIV in Ghana in 2023, with women and young people particularly affected. Despite improvements in access to antiretroviral therapy, new infections remain high, with the Ashanti, Greater Accra, and Eastern regions bearing the heaviest burden.
Experts warn that stigma and limited testing continue to hinder early detection and treatment, but public health officials say the vaccine could be a “game-changer” in reducing transmission rates, especially among high-risk groups.
The Commission is expected to announce further details in the coming months on pilot programmes and priority groups for the vaccine rollout.
Source:Africa Publicity
