The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana (PMAG) has urged the government to strengthen its collaboration with local pharmaceutical companies as part of a broader strategy to enhance the national health system and achieve self-reliance in drug and vaccine production.
The Association commended the renewed emphasis on healthcare delivery under the Mahama-Care policy, describing it as a timely and visionary initiative that warrants full national support.
Speaking at a donation ceremony in Accra on Monday, July 21, 2025, where PMAG presented medicines worth GH¢2.2 million to the Ghana Health Service in support of Mahama-Care, the Association’s President, Dr. Samuel Amo Tobbin, highlighted the crucial role of government in enabling local vaccine production.
The donation comprised a variety of essential medicines, including pain relief medication, blood tonics, antimalarials, cardiovascular and anti-diabetic drugs, as well as asthma therapies.
Dr. Tobbin stressed the importance of strategic investment in vaccine manufacturing, stating, “When it comes to vaccines, without strong government support, it will be very difficult for us to succeed. That’s why we’re using this platform to appeal to the government—support the local industry so we can manufacture vaccines right here in Ghana. During the COVID-19 pandemic, countries like India prioritised their own citizens, and we had to wait. That experience should be a wake-up call. It was, in a way, an insult to our sovereignty.”
Dr. Tobbin added, “If our President supports us in building a vaccine plant within the next four to eight years, it would be a lasting legacy. Such a move would mean a great deal to Ghanaians and position the country as self-reliant in critical health interventions.”
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