The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Delese Mimi Darko has held talks with the Cuban Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Pedro Luis Despaigne Gonzalez on the progress on the development of Cuba’s Covid-19 vaccine.
It is recalled that on the 24th November 2020, the FDA and the Center for State Control of Drugs and Medical Devices (CECMED) of the Ministry of Public Health of the Republic of Cuba (MINSAP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation in the area of health promotion.
The meeting, at the request of the Ambassador, was to brief Ghana’s FDA on the status of clinical trials being conducted in Cuba on four Covid-19 candidate vaccines, each at different phases of clinical development.
According to his Excellency, Pedro Luis Despaigne Gonzalez, the COVID-19 vaccine, “Soberana 02”, is Cuba’s most advanced candidate against the COVID-19 virus.
He said the vaccine had passed Phase I trials in Cuba.
He indicated that Phase II trials have also been carried out on 910 patients and Phase III trials would commence in February 2021.
The Ambassador said "Cuba intends to offer the transfer of technology through an agreement with the Ghanaian Pharmaceutical Industry for the supply of the active pharmaceutical ingredients for the formulation, production, and packaging of the vaccine in Ghana"
He further stressed that countries like India, Vietnam, Iran, Venezuela, and Pakistan have also expressed interest in acquiring the Soberana 02 vaccine.
On her part, the CEO of FDA, Delese Mimi Darko expressed gratitude to the Government and the people of Cuba for their continued solidarity.
She pledged the continued support of the FDA in the sharing of its experience as a Maturity Level 3 regulatory agency of the World Health Organization (WHO).
She further expressed her utmost appreciation for the intended technological transfer support from Cuba.
"This meeting has presented an opportunity to render support, build capacity, further develop and challenge the local pharmaceutical industry (allopathic and herbal)" Mrs. Darko noted.
The CEO also mentioned that through this, the pharmaceutical industry would make advances in promoting health, thus improving the health standards of the Ghanaian populace.
In attendance at the meeting was the Deputy CEO for Health Products and Technologies Division, Mr. Seth Seneake; Deputy CEO for Corporate Services, Mrs. Yvonne Nkrumah, and the Pharmaceutical liaison for the Republic of Cuba in Ghana, Mrs. Mercy Mintah Gyampoh.
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Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith