Global Coordinating Mechanism expects govt to clear stuck medicines at port by middle of April

Despite millions of dollars invested in Ghana’s health systems to combat HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, life-saving drugs and healthcare products for these ailments have been stuck at the Tema Harbour for over ten months.

For those who depend on these medicines, the continued delay in clearing these medications put their lives at risk. Ghana is facing a persistent shortage of essential medical supplies at health facilities, raising concerns about the government’s commitment to citizens’ well-being.

The stakes are high, especially with over 16,000 estimated new HIV cases reported in 2022, with 19,000 tuberculosis cases reported in 2023, not to mention the ongoing battle against malaria, maternal and child health issues, and teenage pregnancy.

“These containers have ARVs (Antiretrovirals) in there. Medications for treatment of TB, insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs), Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDTs) kits, and Gene pert Cartridges among others. And it was planned such that before the raining season, there are enough bed nets for the public especially pregnant women. We need these medications,” the President of the persons living with HIV, Madam Elsie Ayeh.

The Global Fund, a major financier for Ghana’s HIV, TB, and malaria programmes, has been supporting the country with health financing.

Executive Secretary of the Global Coordinating Mechanism in the country, Samuel Hackman said as of March 26, only 15 out of the 230 containers of essential medicines from the previous supplies stuck at the port were cleared.

“By close of the month or mid-April we expect the commodities to be cleared in full but it’s very bad because the commodities have shelf life. The national programmes need these commodities to function. We don’t need to go through this long haul of delays and shortages in the system. We need to be on time,” he said.

ECOWAS, COVID-19, and African Union levies on medical shipments at the ports valued at 3.6 million dollars have made it impossible for medical supplies to be cleared.

The fund managers are worried about the lack of pro-activeness on the part of the government.

“The Global Fund keeps asking, when are you taking this thigs out of the port for the people of Ghana? And when these questions come as a Ghanaian, it looks like you don’t know what is good for the people,” he added.

The PRO of the Ministry of Health, Isaac Ofei Baah, explain the situation in an interview.

“This Levis are Levis that as a country we cannot say we will not pay. Since August last year till date, the ministries of Health and Finance have been collaborating to ensure after this clearance we may not come back to this issue again,” he said.

But civil society and non-governmental organizations in health are not satisfied. Ernest Ortsin, is President of GHANET. An NGO focused on HIV, TB and malaria issues.

“Not just Global Fund but commodities of other partners as well. We should be able to put in place the right exemptions that will ensure that we will be able to clear these goods as and when they come,” he explained.

For Bright Amissah, President of the NGOs in Health, he cannot fathom the situation.

He said “We are all looking at, at least meeting the various milestones in the sustainable development goals. And if free commodities cannot be cleared from the port then as a country, we have a long way to go.”

The bottlenecks causing this delay paint a grim picture of a partnership in peril. There are calls for the government to consider a blanket waiver of these taxes.

Kwabena Mintah Akandoh is a ranking member on the Health Committee of Parliament.

“With all said and done, it’s all evident that, as a country, we need to have a relook at these challenges, so we do not experience another phase of shortages of lifesaving essentials in the future.

“If there’s a need to come to Parliament, please run to Parliament. And we are all reasonable as Members of Parliament and we know what is good for the country. If its medications, we will all agree and be quick to waive the taxes,” he said.

By Sarah Apenkroh 3news.com