The Honorary Consul of Indonesia to Ghana, H.E. Paskal A.B. Rois, on Tuesday paid a working visit to the National Vaccine Institute (NVI) in Accra, where he held discussions with the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, and his Deputy, Dr. Faisal Nuhu.
The visit formed part of efforts to deepen Ghana–Indonesia cooperation in the health sector, particularly in vaccine research, development, and local production.
Talks centered on the establishment of a vaccine production hub in Ghana, building on Indonesia’s proven record in global vaccine manufacturing. H.E. Rois highlighted the achievements of Bio Farma, Indonesia’s state-owned pharmaceutical company, which produces over 2.3 billion vaccine doses annually and supplies to more than 150 countries under World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF certifications.
He stressed that a Ghana–Indonesia partnership could help reduce Africa’s reliance on imported vaccines while positioning Ghana as a manufacturing leader in the sub-region.
He also revealed that Indonesia Aid was ready to support technical assistance programs, adding that Ghanaian students were already benefitting from Indonesian government scholarships, with seven selected this year for studies in various academic disciplines.
On health security, H.E. Rois disclosed that discussions were underway with Indonesia’s Ministry of Health to facilitate the supply of Monkeypox test kits to Ghana. He further proposed enhanced institutional collaboration between Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and Indonesia’s National Agency of Drug and Food Control to harmonize regulatory processes for vaccine development and clinical trials.
Dr. Sodzi-Tettey welcomed the initiative, assuring H.E. Rois of the NVI’s readiness to collaborate. He emphasized that government backing and strong regulatory oversight would be essential for success.
He also cited ongoing partnerships between the Institute, Atlantic Life Sciences, and the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research as important building blocks toward Ghana’s vaccine self-sufficiency agenda.
On human resource development, Dr. Sodzi-Tettey suggested that Ghana’s Ministry of Health and Indonesia formalize training opportunities through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This, he noted, would establish a framework for Ghanaian health professionals to access specialized training in Indonesia with structured knowledge transfer.
H.E. Rois concluded his visit by thanking the leadership of the NVI for their warm reception and reaffirming his personal commitment, and that of the Republic of Indonesia, to strengthen Ghana–Indonesia bilateral relations in health, biotechnology, and beyond.
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