A former Deputy Health Minister and Member of Parliament’s Health Committee has defended Ghana’s decision to reject aspects of a proposed health partnership with the United States.
He argued that the initial terms threatened national sovereignty and risked handing sensitive health data to a foreign power.
According to the Akyem Oda MP, the original demands would have left Ghana with little benefit while exposing the country to potential misuse of its citizens’ medical information.
“The initial demand, we were not going to benefit because it looked as if they were going to sacrifice our sovereignty,” Acquah stated.
The former, who was commenting on how Ghana is seeking to navigate the balance between international health partnerships and the protection of sensitive citizen data further questioned why the USA would want access to Ghana’s health data.
“Why would you want to give off your health data to another country? For what? Health is something that you can not exactly put in somebody’s hands. It becomes easier for it to be twisted against you, just like the US tried doing,” he said.
The opposition Legislature, however, praised the government’s firm response.
According to Acquah, President [of Ghana] declared that the country could realign its budget and draw on internally generated funds to support the health sector rather than accept conditions that compromised control over national data.
Acquah acknowledged short-term difficulties that followed the withholding of aid.
He noted reports of deterioration in the health sector, with many district health directorates saying they could no longer carry out planned programmes because external funding had stopped flowing.
“We seem to have been on the losing side because the aid wasn’t coming,” he said.
“But we felt that this is the initial stage. As we try to put ourselves together, it becomes easier for it to be twisted…,” he said.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
