The Health Ministry has dispelled claims that Global Fund containers at the Tema Port contain essential drugs for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.
It follows a looming health crisis as the Global Fund has moved to halt the provision of any form of funding to Ghana by the end of June 2024, should the government fail to clear about 120 containers of essential drugs at the port.
Ghana has already run out of TB medications as health facilities are currently rationing TB medications to patients since May 2023.
The government has only been able to clear about 60 of the containers since April.
The remaining containers are part of the 266 containers of essential drugs donated by the global fund at a cost of 40 million dollars.
The government is only required to cater for the taxes, levies, and port charges for the clearance of the commodities which was estimated at US$3.6 million dollars.
But Speaking to Joshua Kodjo Mensah on Starr Today the Public Relations Officer for the Health Ministry, Isaac Offei stated that the containers contain only mosquito nets and not essential drugs as claimed by the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations.
“Hopefully, we clear the containers by next week. We have only mosquito nets at the port and not HIV and TB drugs. HIV and TB drugs were cleared last April”
“We still get donations from Global Fund. For all the drugs we received this year, processes are far advanced to clear almost all of them. Except for the mosquito net that we have there but we hope to clear it by next week.”
“We need the mosquito nets because it is part of our preventive system so we don’t end up increasing malaria cases in the country.” He added
But the Lead Convener of the Coalition of CSOs in HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, Mr. Ernest Ortsin says the claims are false and an insult to Ghanaians.
Meanwhile, despite numerous assurances by the government, they will still proceed with their picketing on June 25.
The situation has led to needless loss of lives as critical drugs are wasted away at the detriment of patients in dire need of them.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Benjamin Sackey
