Ghana’s health sector is the hardest hit with the 90-day suspension of the United State of America’s development section, United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Already, a leaked letter from the Regional Directorate to the Director General of the Ghana Health Service acknowledged that the suspension had significantly disrupted the health supply chain, particularly in the Northern, North East, and Savannah Regions, which rely on the Northern Regional Medical Stores for commodity distribution.
“The halt in distribution services poses a severe risk of stockouts for essential medicines, vaccines, and other critical health commodities… commodities including maternal and child health, malaria prevention and treatment, family planning, and HIV/AIDS services, are likely to experience shortages,” it said.
On 20 January 2025, US President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order to pause all foreign aid funding for 90 days.
In 2024, USAID announced a $45 million package in a five-year new initiative to improve adolescent, maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition in Ghana.
The initiative called Integrated Health Partnership (IHP) was focused in five regions of the north and the Western Region through a collaboration between USAID and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and several partners to support primary health care delivery for Ghanaians.
The USAID help to lessen the immediate and near-term impacts of COVID-19 while addressing the long-term need to spur private sector growth to drive employment and innovative solutions, strengthen quality service delivery systems and accountability and alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable populations in northern Ghana.
The Ghana News Agency gathered that officials of the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, Christian Health Association of Ghana and major stakeholders are engaged in series of meetings to discuss the way forward.
Development workers and experts with deep knowledge who would not want to be identified said the move would erode the gains made in the sector over the years.
Aside from the health sector, they stated that the education, agriculture and food security, energy, democracy, human rights and governance sectors would be impacted negatively due to the suspension and the possibly cancellation of aid.
“Their support has helped improve food security, ensured sustainable natural resource management, and health thus bolstering economic growth; and advance good governance,” the expert said.
The United States is Ghana’s largest bilateral development partner, with over $150 million in support in the last year for sectors, including health, economic growth, agriculture, and education.
Ghana is not the only affected country as a statement issued by the African-led HIV Control Working Group said over 26 million lives and life-saving HIV treatment for over 20 million people around the world, particularly in African countries would be impacted.
“Halting funding to such a successful public health programme, without notice risks the lives of millions of people who depend on resources to manage HIV infections or prevent new transmissions, particularly amongst high-risk populations,” the statement said.
A notice on the USAID website said, “On Friday, February 7, 2025, at 11:59 pm (EST) all USAID direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programmes”.
It noted that essential personnel expected to continue working would be informed by Agency leadership by Thursday, February 6, at 3:00pm (EST).
For USAID personnel currently posted outside the United States, the Agency, in coordination with missions and the Department of State, was preparing a plan, in accordance with all applicable requirements and laws, under which the Agency would arrange and pay for return travel to the United States within 30 days and provide for the termination of PSC and ISC contracts that are not determined to be essential.
The Agency would consider case-by-case exceptions and return travel extensions based on personal or family hardship, mobility or safety concerns, or other reasons.
For example, the Agency will consider exceptions based on the timing of dependents’ school term, personal or familial medical needs, pregnancy, and other reasons. Further guidance on how to request an exception will be forthcoming.
GNA
