Ghana cannot immediately sever its reliance on foreign health aid following the rejection of a US health deal, a former Deputy Health Minister has warned. Alexander Akwasi Acquah, also a member of Parliament’s Health Committee, stated on Monday that the country is not yet positioned to abruptly discontinue external support, citing persistent challenges in managing existing aid.
Mr. Acquah’s assertion comes in the wake of Ghana’s decision to reject a significant US health assistance package. He emphasized that the nation’s dependence on external funding remains deeply entrenched, highlighting ongoing difficulties in efficiently processing even the aid that does arrive.
The former Deputy Minister recalled instances where donated logistics struggled to clear ports, illustrating the inefficiencies within the system. This situation is compounded by the practice of seeking to tax donated supplies to bolster national budgets.
“So even if the aid that is coming, we still want to take taxes on them to support our budgets, and now we say we want to be totally free from them. How do we survive?” Mr. Acquah questioned, underscoring the apparent contradiction in the country’s approach to foreign aid.
He further referenced the Abuja Declaration, which advocates for developed countries to provide a certain level of support, suggesting that Ghana’s immediate independence from aid is impractical given global health financing realities.
Instead, Mr. Acquah proposed that the focus should shift to addressing internal inefficiencies and waste within Ghana’s public sector. He echoed sentiments from Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, suggesting a thorough review of systems to eliminate waste.
The health sector, in particular, has become exceptionally vulnerable due to its long-standing reliance on external aid. Mr. Acquah described this aid as a significant motivator for various health programs and initiatives.
The impact of reduced or withdrawn aid is already being felt, according to the former Deputy Minister. “I’m telling you, the health sector is suffering, because I know what is happening, especially when the USA and others got cut off,” he stated.
He revealed that critical areas within the health service had become heavily dependent on this support, and their absence is now creating significant challenges. Recent engagements with the Ghana Health Service and its program managers have highlighted the precarious financial outlook if health financing is not adequately addressed.
Mr. Acquah expressed some relief that the US appears to be the primary actor in this specific scenario, with other donor agencies still engaged. This provides Ghana a crucial, albeit narrow, window to re-evaluate its health financing strategy and explore domestic funding sources.
The situation underscores the urgent need for Ghana to strengthen its domestic health financing mechanisms and improve the efficiency of its public sector to ensure the sustainability of its health services in the long term. The country must balance its aspirations for self-sufficiency with the current realities of its healthcare funding landscape.
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