The National Vaccine Institute (NVI), led by Chief Executive Officer Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, has paid a strategic working visit to the Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR) in Mampong.
The visit, initiated at the invitation of the Centre, underscored the growing collaboration between key national research institutions as Ghana accelerates its agenda to become a regional vaccine manufacturing hub.
A focal point of the visit was the Centre's Animal Experimentation Facility, which has recently been pre-qualified by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA). This accreditation allows the facility to conduct critical potency testing for the lot release of locally manufactured biological products.
Demonstrating this new capacity, the CPMR has successfully undertaken potency testing on batches of snake venom antiserum (SVAS) produced by Atlantic Lifesciences Limited. This achievement marks a significant step forward in domesticating the quality assurance processes required for vaccine and serum production.
During the visit, Dr. Sodzi-Tettey commended the CPMR leadership for their swift progress and technical readiness. He indicated that the NVI is proud to collaborate with partners like CPMR, describing them as essential to building the "scientific and technical backbone" required for Ghana’s long-term health security.
The engagement also opened discussions on innovative future projects. Key among them is a proposed feasibility study for a Snake Farming Project. If realized, this initiative would secure a sustainable supply of venom, further strengthening Ghana’s capacity to research and produce high-quality Snake Venom Antiserum (SVAS) locally.
The NVI delegation concluded the visit with a tour of the CPMR facility to gain first-hand insight into its expanded operations and research capabilities.