President John Dramani Mahama has explained why Ghana rejected a proposed health compact from the United States, saying some of the conditions attached to the package were unacceptable and “humiliating”.
The proposed compact, worth more than US$100 million, was intended to replace health funding previously provided through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Speaking during a Council on Foreign Relations engagement in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, President Mahama said the proposal went through Ghana’s established government processes before it was rejected by Cabinet.
“Yeah, we received the health compact from the US to replace USAID funding. And Ghana is a sovereign nation. And we have our processes,” he said.
He explained that the Health Ministry first reviewed the compact and subsequently presented it to Cabinet, where several provisions were flagged.
Among the concerns, he said, were requirements for Ghana to provide information on its pathogen profile and medical records.
“It means that diseases that are endemic in Ghana, what are diseases endemic in Ghana, what is the pathogen profile of a country. I’m sure there are medical experts who understand that better than me,” he said.
He added: “And it also says we should give our medical records. I mean, who takes another country’s medical records? And so that was strange.”
President Mahama also raised concerns over a provision relating to medical products that would be brought into Ghana, saying it would prevent the Food and Drugs Authority from inspecting them.
“And then it also says that any medications or any medical products that shall be brought into our country, our Food and Drugs Administration has absolutely no rights to inspect. I mean, it was humiliating,” he stated.
According to the President, Cabinet rejected the proposal swiftly after reviewing its terms.
“And so it was the compact that was thrown out in record time in our cabinet. I’ve never seen anything thrown out as fast as that,” he said.
He said the government subsequently directed the Health Minister to inform the US ambassador of Ghana’s decision.
“And so, of course, we rejected it. And we asked the health minister to inform the US ambassador that we didn’t need it. We’ll manage ourselves,” Mahama said.
Despite the financial value of the proposed support, the President said Ghana decided against accepting the compact.
“And for a patent, it’s $100 and something million. And so we said, no, we didn’t want it. And we’re doing fine,” he added.
