Health crisis looms as Global Fund suspends shipments to Ghana

Ghana faces a potential health crisis after the Global Fund suspended shipments of essential medical supplies due to delays in clearing previous donations stuck at Tema Port.

This includes vital antiretroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS patients.

The Africa Center for Health Policy Research and Analysis (ACHPR&A) expressed grave concern over the government’s inaction in expediting the release of these donated supplies.

Dr. Thomas Anaba, Executive Director of the Africa Center for Health Policy Research and Analysis, minced no words in a Citi News interview criticizing the government’s lackadaisical approach to clearing vital health commodities.

He emphasized the urgency of the situation, highlighting the visit of a Global Fund delegation that yielded no progress.

The delays have also alarmed the Ghana AIDS Commission and a coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) focusing on HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The CSOs have announced a protest on April 17th over the prolonged detention of essential medical supplies.

“A 12-member delegation from the Global Fund paid a working visit to this country to follow up on the locked-up commodities. In spite of all their efforts, they did not make any headway and the commodities still remain uncleared at the ports.

“They have therefore indicated that Ghana risks losing all Global Fund Support if the government fails to act on the matter. To start with, they have already suspended all commodity shipments to the country until the ones at the ports are cleared.

“This development has dire consequences for the hundreds of thousands of our compatriots on free medications donated by Global Fund.”