Ghana advances vaccine manufacturing ambition with clinical trials strengthening

"Strong clinical trials systems are the backbone of credible research and a critical pillar of Ghana's vaccine production agenda."

This message from Dr Fiona Braka, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Ghana, set the tone for a high-level gathering of policymakers, regulators, and researchers in Sogakope in the Volta Region, at a moment when Ghana is taking deliberate steps to transition from vaccine dependency to self-reliance.

The urgency of this shift is rooted in the hard lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed stark global inequities in access to life-saving vaccines. For Ghana, delays in securing doses underscored a critical vulnerability: reliance on external supply in times of global crisis. Today, the country's push toward local vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing is not only a strategic priority, but also a necessity for safeguarding public health and strengthening national resilience.

But manufacturing alone cannot guarantee impact. A well-coordinated clinical trials system, anchored in strong regulatory oversight, ethical integrity, and institutional capacity, guarantees safe and, efficacious vaccines produced locally as well as the global credibility required to serve both national and regional needs.

To strengthen this essential component of Ghana's vaccine agenda, WHO in collaboration with the National Vaccine Institute (NVI), hosted a three-day Clinical Trials Assessment Workshop from 30 March to 1 April 2026 in Sogakope. Supported by the European Union under the Vax & Pharm Ghana Project. The workshop convened key institutions to evaluate Ghana's clinical trials landscape and align it with global standards.

Participants from the Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana Health Service, ethics committees, academia, and clinical research institutions engaged in a structured programme that moved from understanding global standards to applying them within Ghana's context. Discussions began with an overview of the current clinical trials environment, highlighting both progress and persistent gaps in clinical research coordination, ethics review, and operational efficiency.

Opening the workshop, Dr Sodzi-Sodzi Tettey, CEO of the National Vaccine Institute emphasized the importance of the initiative.
"Ghana's ambition to manufacture vaccines and pharmaceuticals cannot be realized without a credible and efficient clinical trials ecosystem. This workshop is a key step toward building the systems, partnerships, and standards required to support that vision", he said.

Over the three days, technical experts introduced WHO guidance on Good Clinical Practice, ethical principles, and regulatory oversight, while also sharing lessons from across the African region and beyond. Participants explored practical tools for strengthening ethics oversight and risk-based monitoring and worked collaboratively to map stakeholders and identify bottlenecks affecting the conduct of clinical trials..

A major milestone was the introduction of the draft WHO Clinical Trials Ecosystem Assessment Tool. Through group work, participants began adapting the tool to Ghana's needs and developed a harmonized field assessment plan, outlining how institutions, timelines, and assessment teams will support a nationwide evaluation of clinical trial capacity.

The WHO Representative to Ghana reiterated the broader significance of the initiative:
"WHO will continue to support Ghana with the technical expertise and coordination needed to build a system that meets global standards and serves national priorities."

The European Union was acknowledged for its support in making the workshop possible.

A representative of the European Union said,
"Our support to the Vax & Pharm Ghana Project reflects a shared commitment to strengthening local capacity. A robust clinical trials ecosystem ensures that Ghana's innovations are not only locally produced, but globally recognized".

By the end of the three days, stakeholders had developed a draft national action plan to strengthen clinical trials governance and operations, marking an important step toward a more coordinated and effective system.

As Ghana continues to position itself as a hub for vaccine and pharmaceutical production, investments in clinical trials systems will remain essential, ensuring that scientific progress translates into safe, trusted, and accessible health solutions for all.