Ghana is set to produce anti-snake venom locally, to save the lives of people who are bitten by snakes, sometimes leading to deaths due to the lack of life-saving vaccines.

Consequently, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between Atlantic Lifescienc­es, a Ghanaian company, and Vins Bioproducts, an Indian company.

It forms part of the objective of government to make Ghana the hub of vaccine manufacturing in Africa.

Speaking at the signing of the MoU in Accra on Tuesday, at the National Vaccine Institute, the Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr Nsiah Asare, said the production of the anti-snake venom would promote public health in the country.

He said snake bites were a public health burden in the country.

The Presidential Advisor said as part of the Vaccine Roadmap developed by the country, the objective of government was to make Ghana the hub of vaccine manufacturing and export in Africa and the beginning of the production of anti-snake venom locally.

Dr Asare said, “The production of vaccines locally is not a fluke, and the ready-to-fill anti-snake ven­om bulk is already in the country.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic Lifesciences, Dhananjay Tripathi, said the WHO considered snake bite as a neglected tropical disease that plagued rural communities.

He said Pharmanova and Atlan­tic Lifesciences had played critical roles in importing anti-snake venom on behalf of the government, and that in 2017 his outfit considered the move to start local production of vaccines, especially anti-snake serum.

Mr Tripathi said Ghana would be the first country in West Africa to produce and package anti-snake venom for local use and export.

The Executive Director of Vins Bioproducts Limited, Siddarth Daga, said his outfit was a leading producer of vaccines.

He said he was excited his outfit was collaborating with Atlantic Lifesciences to produce anti-snake venom in Ghana.

Mr Daga said the partnership would help position Ghana to be the leader of vaccine producers in Africa.

The Minister of Health, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman Manu, in a speech read on his behalf, said COVID-19 disrupted health systems, ravaged economies and laid bare the vulnerabilities of countries.

He noted that Ghana could not rely on imported vaccines to meet her health needs.

The Minister of Health said as the country weaned itself of the Global Alliance for Vaccines Initia­tive, it was important to produce its vaccine needs locally.

Mr Manu said it was in that direction the government was supporting the private sector to produce vaccines locally to help promote healthcare delivery.

The World Health Organisation Country Representative for Ghana, Professor Francis Kasolo, in a speech read on his behalf, said on average 9,600 snake bites were recorded each year from 2015 to 2019.

“WHO is thus pleased with the signing of this MoU that signi­fies a joint effort to improve the availability and accessibility of safe, effective, and affordable anti-snake venom, which is crucial in saving lives and reducing the mortality rate associated with snakebites,” he stated.