Chairman of the Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism, Ghana, Ernest Ortsin Amoabeng, has described as unfortunate, the continued retention of Family Planning commodities at the country’s ports since 2024.
He warned that the situation could undermine Ghana’s public health gains and dent its international reputation.
His comments follow renewed concerns by the Ghana CSOs Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals over a critical shortage of Family Planning supplies nationwide.
The Ghana CSOs Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals says essential Family Planning commodities worth about five hundred thousand US dollars have remained stuck at the port of entry since August 2024.
The supplies, procured by the United Nations Population Fund and consigned to the Ministry of Health, include contraceptive pills, implants, injectable, condoms, intrauterine devices and other medical instruments.
They warn that further delays could put the lives of thousands of women at risk as stock levels at national and regional medical stores continue to decline.
Mr Amoabeng said in an interview with 3news on April 9 that the recurring delays in clearing essential reproductive health supplies, despite earlier complaints two years ago, raise concerns about coordination and responsiveness within government systems.
A
ccording to him, failure to resolve the issue once and for all could erode progress made in HIV prevention and weaken the confidence of donor partners supporting Ghana’s health programmes.
“Recent allocation from the global fund has been cut by 20 percent. This tells you that there is a huge funding gap that government needs to fill. The President must put in mechanisms that will address this issue once and for all. It doesn’t speak well of us. A donor gives you items free and you are showing non-challance towards its clearance. It’s not the best, ” he lamented.
Meanwhile, President John Mahama, during an engagement with CSO’s directed the Minister of Health and the Finance Minister to address the issue after it was raised by SEND Ghana.
“The tax on the family planning commodities I think the ministers of Health and Finance will handle it. I once heard of a condom tax, but I didn’t know of any taxes on them so the Finance Minister and Health Minister must look at It,” he charged.
It remains unclear what continues to hinder the consistent clearance of donated health commodities at the country’s ports. But civil society organizations say urgent action is needed to prevent disruptions.
By Sarah Apenkroh
