The Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism in Ghana has confirmed that almost all the essential health commodities which were locked up at the port have been cleared as assured by the Health Minister.
Interim Chairman of the CCM Ghana, Ernest Ortsin Amoabeng says their checks at the Central Medical stores at Spintex and the Imperial Health Sciences (IHS) at Tema on Monday revealed most of the containers have been cleared.
He assured that the medications have already been transported to the regional stores for distribution to the hospitals. He was hopeful that the remaining containers will be cleared entirely in two weeks.
“We were at both storage facilities yesterday and everything is good. They explained that last year, they received 150 containers. And this year 112 containers. This week, they are expecting 70 containers and a last batch of some 64 containers, yet to be cleared. So, in total, the number tallies with the figures of the global fund,” he stated.
He said the new cycle grant will now be released fully for the necessary procurement and system strengthening mechanisms to take place.
He expressed appreciation to the Minister of Health for his proactiveness and all the various stakeholders who pushed for the commodities to be cleared.
Meanwhile, an intended protest by some TB champions in support of efforts by the civil society organisations to push government to clear the commodities was cancelled following an assurance by the CCM to them that the commodities have been cleared.
With a sense of relief, some of them shared the frustration during the shortage while others lost patients under their supervision.
The shortage of TB medications experienced at some health facilities few weeks back as a result of governments delay in clearing the commodities brought undue frustration to the patients.
Dickson Dzah said he lost a patient as a result of the shortage.
“I lost a valuable patient because of this thing and its bad. Why should this happen?” He questioned.
Another TB champion, Morrison Richmond called on government to ensure this never happens again.
The Global fund commodities worth $40milliom and meant for the management of HIV/TB and Malaria had been at the port since May last year.
By Sarah Apenkroh
