The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service, hosted Baroness Louise Chapman, the UK Minister for Development, together with senior officials from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), on a working visit to the Tema General Hospital and Atlantic Life Sciences facility in Ningo-Prampram.
The Deputy Minister for Health, Prof. Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, welcomed the UK delegation to the Tema General Hospital and toured several key service areas, including the Office of the Medical Director, the Hepatology Laboratory, the Antenatal Care Unit, the Maternity Block, the Anti-Retroviral Therapy Unit, and the Molecular Biology Unit.
The visit provided an opportunity for the UK delegation to witness first-hand the impact of the Global Fund’s support to Ghana in combating malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis, as well as ongoing efforts to expand and improve healthcare services at the district and regional levels.
Prof. Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah later led the delegation on a tour of Atlantic Life Sciences, a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing facility located in Ningo-Prampram.
The company is currently focused on producing vaccines and other essential medical products locally, in line with the Government of Ghana’s health sovereignty agenda and its commitment to strengthening local production capacity.
Speaking during the visit, the Deputy Minister underscored the importance of Ghana–UK cooperation in health system strengthening, particularly in the areas of vaccine production, technology transfer, and capacity building.
“The Government of Ghana is determined to achieve medical sovereignty by producing essential vaccines and pharmaceuticals locally,” Prof. Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah stated. “We welcome the UK government’s support through the Global Fund and look forward to expanding partnerships to position Ghana as a hub for health innovation in West Africa.”
Baroness Chapman commended Ghana’s progress in health delivery and reaffirmed the UK government’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s health priorities, including local manufacturing, human resource development, and efforts towards WHO prequalification.
The Ministry of Health remains committed to working with bilateral partners, development agencies, and the private sector to improve access to quality healthcare for all Ghanaians and to strengthen Ghana’s leadership in health innovation within the sub-region.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Kwabena Nyarko Abronoma
