National Vaccine Institute Ghana
Driving Health Security: Ghana Hosts West African Stakeholders to Operationalise the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism
ACCRA, GHANA | NOVEMBER 13, 2026
The National Vaccine Institute (NVI) Ghana, in collaboration with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), has convened a two-day high-level Regional Meeting on the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM) from November 10 to 11, 2026, in Accra, Ghana.
The meeting brought together West African pharmaceutical manufacturers, national health and procurement authorities, government institutions and regulatory bodies to accelerate regional health sovereignty and strengthen Africa's capacity to manufacture and procure essential health products locally.
Designed to build consensus on the operational model of the APPM, the meeting clarified the respective roles and responsibilities of Africa CDC, participating Member States, procuring entities and local manufacturers. Discussions focused on the technical requirements for the APPM Supply Catalogue, demand forecasting, procurement arrangements, financing mechanisms and implementation frameworks.
A key outcome of the deliberations was the development of a time-bound roadmap to operationalise the mechanism in Ghana and expand regional market access for priority health products. The roadmap is expected to provide a practical framework for translating regional commitments into concrete procurement opportunities for African manufacturers.
Ghana Positioned to Advance Local Pharmaceutical and Vaccine Manufacturing
Addressing delegates, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Vaccine Institute, Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, emphasised that Ghana is entering a transformative phase in its ambition to strengthen local pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing.
Dr. Sodzi-Tettey further highlighted the growing competitiveness of Ghanaian manufacturers, noting that local companies have already secured new tenders to supply medical products to Uganda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia. He underscored the importance of leveraging the APPM to create sustainable market opportunities and accelerate the growth of Ghana's pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing industry.
Africa CDC Reaffirms Commitment to Continental Manufacturing
Dr. Mariatou Tala Jallow, Director of the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism at Africa CDC, underscored the continental body's commitment to translating policy commitments into tangible market opportunities for African manufacturers.
She highlighted the importance of sustained collaboration among Member States, manufacturers and procurement institutions in establishing an effective pooled procurement system capable of improving access to quality-assured and affordable health products across the continent.
Ghana's Pharmaceutical Hub Strategy Targets 70% Local Production
Highlighting Ghana's broader industrial transformation agenda, Dr. Bernice Brempong, Presidential Coordinator for the Ghana Pharmaceutical Hub, outlined the country's ambition to reduce pharmaceutical import dependence and significantly increase domestic production.
Dr. Brempong further emphasised that the strategy would create opportunities for investors, protect the interests of existing importers and manufacturers, stimulate industrial growth and generate thousands of employment opportunities for Ghanaian youth. She reaffirmed Ghana's readiness to play a leading role in advancing Africa's health security and economic self-reliance.
Ministry of Health Calls for Practical Implementation
Dr. Belinda Nimako, Director of Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PPME) at the Ministry of Health, Ghana, emphasised the importance of aligning public-sector demand, financing and regulatory frameworks to ensure the successful implementation of the APPM.
She called for a decisive shift from policy discussions to practical implementation through clearly defined supply catalogues, implementation timelines and procurement contracts that empower African manufacturers and strengthen the continent's pharmaceutical value chain.
About the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM)
Established by Africa CDC pursuant to African Union decisions, the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM) is a continental initiative designed to aggregate demand across African Union Member States to strengthen purchasing power, improve access to affordable and quality-assured health commodities, and create predictable markets for African pharmaceutical and medical product manufacturers.
Its initial rollout has already recorded measurable progress. The first APPM tender, announced in May 2026, covered ten priority reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health medicines across ten Member States. The initiative secured average cost savings of 45% below Member State benchmarks, with African manufacturers winning contracts for five of the ten products.
Through these milestones, the APPM is contributing to the African Union's ambition to meet 60% of the continent's health product needs through local production by 2040.
About the National Vaccine Institute (NVI), Ghana
The National Vaccine Institute (NVI) Ghana is mandated to coordinate and advance the development of a sustainable vaccine manufacturing ecosystem in Ghana. Through strategic partnerships, policy coordination, research and development support, and collaboration with local and international stakeholders, the Institute seeks to strengthen Ghana's capacity to produce vaccines and other essential biological products while contributing to national, regional and continental health security.