A nationwide survey conducted by the National Vaccine Institute (NVI) has revealed that Ghanaians have strong confidence in vaccines and are ready to support the country’s planned local vaccine manufacturing agenda, challenging concerns about widespread vaccine hesitancy in the country.
The survey, one of the largest assessments of public attitudes toward vaccines in Ghana, covered all 16 regions and 55 districts and analysed 13,905 valid responses. The study examined vaccine confidence, barriers to acceptance, misinformation trends, and public readiness for locally manufactured vaccines expected to begin production in 2027.
Findings from the study showed that 89.7% of respondents expressed confidence in vaccines, while 94.2% believed in collective responsibility toward ensuring vaccine availability. Additionally, 71.3% indicated willingness to use vaccines produced locally in Ghana, suggesting strong public support for the country’s move toward vaccine self-sufficiency.
The survey also highlighted high trust levels in healthcare professionals and national institutions. About 87.8% of respondents said they trust doctors and nurses administering vaccines, with significant confidence also recorded in the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA). These institutions are expected to play major roles in promoting confidence in Ghana-made vaccines.
Despite the encouraging results, the study exposed a major challenge: public awareness of Ghana’s vaccine manufacturing programme remains low. Only 14.3% of respondents knew that the country is developing local vaccine production capacity ahead of the projected 2027 launch.
Interestingly, the survey found lower vaccine acceptance in more urbanised regions such as Greater Accra Region, Central Region and Ashanti Region despite easier access to information. In contrast, rural communities in northern Ghana and areas such as the Oti Region demonstrated stronger trust and acceptance of vaccines. Researchers say this highlights the need for region-specific public education campaigns.
The study further revealed strong national pride surrounding local vaccine production, with many respondents stating that involvement of Ghanaian scientists and local factories would increase their confidence in domestically produced vaccines. However, concerns remain over vaccine costs, transportation systems, access to vaccination centres, and cold-chain storage infrastructure, particularly in rural communities.
The NVI has therefore announced plans to launch a nationwide awareness and acceptance campaign involving government agencies, healthcare professionals, civil society organisations, community leaders, development partners, the private sector, and media institutions. The initiative aims to increase awareness, combat misinformation, and build public trust ahead of local vaccine production.
According to Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, Ghana already possesses a strong foundation of vaccine confidence, but success will depend on addressing awareness gaps, misinformation, cost barriers, and regional disparities.
The findings come at a critical moment as Ghana advances toward vaccine self-sufficiency and contributes to the broader African goal of increasing local vaccine production under the African Union initiative aimed at producing a majority of vaccines on the continent by 2040.
The report concludes that Ghana’s planned vaccine production in 2027 represents more than a public health milestone; it marks an important step toward scientific innovation, economic resilience, and national development.
