Ghanaian research institutions and pharmaceutical companies have secured €2 million in grants to develop vaccines, medicines, and other health products for local and regional markets.

Eight projects have been selected under the PharmaVax Ghana programme, which seeks to strengthen collaboration between researchers and pharmaceutical manufacturers and move promising health innovations from laboratories into commercial production.

The grants were announced at a “Research Meets Manufacturing” ceremony held in Accra on August 19.

The initiative is jointly funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the European Union and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), in collaboration with Ghana’s National Vaccine Institute.

The selected projects cover a range of health challenges, including malaria, chronic diseases, vaccines, and infectious diseases.

One project will develop a fast-dissolving malaria tablet for children, with the aim of making treatment easier to administer while improving dosing accuracy.

Another project will apply artificial intelligence to support the development of monoclonal antibodies and diagnostics for malaria and Mpox.

Other research teams will investigate locally developed herbal treatments for conditions including hypertension, prostate health, and alcohol-related liver disease.

The projects will also focus on improving the stability and regulatory approval of locally produced vaccines and snake venom antiserum.

The eight projects will receive a combined €2 million in grant funding, with Ghanaian partners contributing an additional €425,000.

Organisers say the programme is designed to address a longstanding challenge of turning scientific research into products that can be manufactured and made available to the public.

The projects were selected from 43 proposals by an independent committee of nine Ghanaian experts.

Selection criteria included technical merit, potential public benefit, participation of a local manufacturer, and the sustainability of the research beyond the grant period.

Beyond the funding, successful teams will receive technical assistance, networking opportunities, and opportunities for knowledge exchange.

Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said the programme provides an opportunity to bring researchers, manufacturers, government and international partners together to translate scientific discoveries into medicines and vaccines.

Chief Executive of the National Vaccine Institute, Dr Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, said Ghana has the scientific expertise and an increasingly capable pharmaceutical industry needed to develop health products tailored to local needs.

The investment comes as Ghana seeks to expand its domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity and reduce vulnerabilities in the supply of essential medicines and other health products.

The National Vaccine Institute, established in 2023, has been tasked with coordinating Ghana’s efforts in vaccine and sera research, development and manufacturing.

Through PharmaVax Ghana, GIZ is supporting research and development, skills development, regulatory strengthening, technology transfer and investment promotion within the pharmaceutical sector.

German Ambassador to Ghana, Frederik Landshöft, said the partnership would help connect Ghanaian research, manufacturing and innovation with German technology and investment.

He said the objective is to support the local production of medicines and vaccines for Ghana and potentially the wider West African market.

The programme is therefore expected to contribute to a stronger domestic pharmaceutical industry while creating opportunities for Ghanaian innovations to move beyond research institutions into commercial production and regional markets.