The government is reviewing a revised health financing proposal from the United States after rejecting an earlier version over concerns about Ghana’s sovereignty, regulatory authority and national interests.
Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has stressed that Ghana will not rush into an agreement simply because it needs international support for its health sector. He maintained that any partnership must respect the country’s laws and promote mutual respect rather than dependency.
The initial proposal underwent scrutiny by the Ministry of Health before being submitted to Cabinet, where concerns about several provisions were considered.
The proposed agreement was expected to replace health funding previously provided through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). However, one major concern was a provision that would reportedly exempt US pharmaceutical products covered by the agreement from verification or certification by Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).
Mr Akandoh questioned the implications of such an exemption for Ghana’s ability to regulate medicines entering the country and safeguard public health.
The government also raised concerns about proposed requirements for sharing health information with the United States. The minister argued that distinguishing between individual records and aggregated data did not eliminate the need for careful scrutiny, particularly regarding data protection and whether such arrangements would serve Ghana’s interests.
He further expressed reservations about the framing of the proposed compact, citing the US administration’s “America First” policy. According to him, Ghana must equally prioritise its national interests and ensure that external partnerships do not undermine its development objectives.
Speaking in an interview with Channel One TV on Monday, October 19, Mr Akandoh said the government had documented its concerns and presented them to Cabinet in line with President John Dramani Mahama’s directive that matters requiring further consideration be referred to the collective decision-making body.
He explained that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were subsequently tasked with communicating Ghana’s position to their American counterparts.
The United States has since submitted a new memorandum of understanding (MoU), which is currently under review before it is presented to Cabinet for a decision.
Mr Akandoh insisted that Ghana’s need for development partners would not force the government to accept conditions it considered inappropriate or contrary to the country’s interests.
“No, I’m never under any pressure. Trust us to take the best decision in the interest of the country,” he said.
Emphasising the government’s position on international cooperation, he added: “We need partnership, but we need partnership with respect and dignity. So these fragmentations and tendencies and promises of partnership — no, we will have to move from dependency to dignity, from fragmentation to solidarity.”
The latest development follows President Mahama’s disclosure that Washington had requested further engagement with Accra to revise or remove contentious provisions in the proposed agreement.
The revised document remains under consideration, with the government indicating that no final decision will be made until Cabinet has reviewed the proposal.
