No COVID-19 vaccine yet approved for use in Ghana - FDA

Ghana's Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a Public Health Alert warning the general public against the patronage and use of any COVID-19 vaccine.

The FDA in a press release issued today said it had come to its attention that "some unscrupulous members of the business community are peddling information on the sale of COVID-19 vaccines to hospitals and other health facilities".

The release said the "peddling of such information contravenes Section 118 of the Public Health Act 2012, Act 851 and constitutes a very serious offence".

"It has come to the attention of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), that some unscrupulous members of the business community are peddling information on the sale of COVI D-19 vaccines to hospitals and other health facilities. The information is ostensibly to inform the general public of the availability of these vaccines from well known pharmaceutical brands indicating their price ranges," the release said.

"The general public is hereby cautioned against the patronage of such vaccines since the FDA has not yet approved any COVID-19 vaccine for use in Ghana.

In view of the above, the FDA wishes to inform all health facilities and the general public that, peddling of such information contravenes Section 118 of the Public Health Act 2012, Act 851 and constitutes a very serious offence".

The release further stressed that when the COVID-19 vaccine is approved by the FDA for use in Ghana, the Ministry of Health will issue a national policy on the use of COVID-19 vaccines throughout the health sector.

COVID-19 vaccine approvals

Currently, the United States (US) FDA has approved two vaccines; Moderna's vaccine on December 18, 2020, and the Pfizer vaccine on December 11. The vaccines are currently being distributed across the US to battle the pandemic.

The United Kingdom (UK) has also approved three vaccines; the Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines.

The Pfizer, Oxford and Moderna vaccines each require two doses and you are not fully vaccinated until a week after your second shot.

Meanwhile, Guinea late last year began vaccinating against COVID-19 with the Russian Sputnik V vaccine on an experimental basis, starting with government officials. It ordered only 55 doses of the Russian vaccine.