Accra: Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Vaccine Institute, has announced the launch of a survey aimed at bolstering public confidence in Ghana's vaccine efforts. As the country prepares to transition from reliance on the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) by 2030, this initiative represents a strategic move towards vaccine sustainability and self-sufficiency.
According to Ghana News Agency, the National Vaccine Institute (NVI) has initiated a nationwide Vaccine Perception Survey to ensure locally manufactured vaccines are trusted and accepted across the country. The survey aims to gather evidence-based insights from communities, ensuring that Ghana's vaccines meet high quality and safety standards while fostering trust among users.
The survey is being conducted across 55 districts in all 16 regions of Ghana, running from February 16 to March 10, 2026. It involves quantitative data collection from 11,077 respondents through structured interviews using random sampling, complemented by seven focus group discussions in strategically chosen districts to gain qualitative insights.
The study will assess public attitudes towards vaccines, identify drivers of confidence, examine barriers to the acceptance of Made-in-Ghana vaccines, and map trends of misinformation that hinder vaccine uptake. By integrating quantitative data with qualitative insights, the survey aims to facilitate geographically tailored and evidence-driven interventions.
Dr. Sodzi-Tettey noted that vaccine confidence varies significantly across regions, with parts of Northern Ghana exhibiting higher levels of hesitancy compared to urban areas that face different misinformation challenges. The comprehensive research across all regions is designed to ensure policies address the diverse realities of both high-confidence and high-hesitancy communities.
The survey's design includes representation from every region, covering metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies, and seven strategic sites for focus group discussions. Approximately 200 respondents per district ensure robust statistical power for district-level estimates and regional comparisons, balancing geographic representation with operational feasibility.
The district selection process is guided by criteria such as regional stratification, geographic diversity, variation in vaccine hesitancy levels, strategic relevance for vaccine rollout, and accessibility for fieldwork. This structured approach ensures that findings reflect Ghana's broader population.
The survey aims to generate evidence to inform communication strategies, identify trusted messengers, distinguish between attitudinal hesitancy and structural barriers, and guide region-specific vaccine messaging. It also supports Ghana's health security transition by aligning manufacturing capacity with public acceptance and builds sustained public trust through transparent, evidence-based communication.
Additionally, the survey will establish a national baseline for vaccine confidence, identify drivers and barriers to uptake, assess misinformation, and examine the influence of Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) approval on vaccine acceptance. The National Vaccine Institute has appealed to residents in the selected districts to actively support this crucial research, emphasizing the importance of their participation and assuring them of the confidentiality of their responses.