At least 150 firms have so far been authorised to produce nose masks in Ghana since the beginning of February, chief executive officer of Foods and Drugs Authority (FDA) Delese Mimi Darko has told Asaase News.
The figure is a sharp increase from the previous 42 firms authorised a couple of months ago since Ghana recorded its first COVID-19 cases in March last year.
Speaking in an interview with Nana Yaa Mensah on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday, the FDA boss said over 80% of nose masks in the country are now locally manufactured.
“We would also say that some of the masks, the blue and white mask looks like it is imported. More than 80% of what you see now is also locally manufactured, sometimes you may think it is imported but it is locally manufactured,” she said.
Darko added: “As at the beginning of February we have 327 masks locally made and we have over 150 companies manufacturing masks, some of them make more than one mask and it spreads across the country.”
She further revealed that the regional offices of FDA will soon be equipped with machines to run their own tests before giving approval for nose mask manufacturers.
Fred Dzakpata
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