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President John Dramani Mahama has clarified Ghana’s rejection of a proposed health compact from the United States, characterizing certain provisions as “humiliating” and a violation of the nation’s sovereignty.
During remarks delivered at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Friday, September 25, the President outlined why the proposed compact, designed to supplement certain US health contributions, contained stipulations that Ghana deemed unacceptable.
According to President Mahama, the agreement mandated that Ghana furnish the United States with its pathogen profile and medical records. Additionally, it obligated the country to provide matching financial contributions and stipulated that pharmaceutical products imported into Ghana through the initiative would bypass inspection by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).
He noted that the Ministry of Health assessed the compact and communicated its reservations to Cabinet, which subsequently declined the proposal.
“It was humiliating,” President Mahama stated, emphasizing that Cabinet rejected the compact with exceptional speed.
He indicated that the government subsequently directed the Health Minister to communicate to the US Ambassador that Ghana would address its health requirements autonomously.
The proposed arrangement was estimated to provide approximately US$109 million in health support across a five-year period. Ghana had previously declined the agreement due to apprehensions regarding provisions that would necessitate the disclosure of confidential health information.