Health Minister engages Global Fund over commodity shortages and programme sustainability

The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has held discussions with a delegation from the Global Fund to address issues regarding the availability of essential health commodities and the sustainability of key health programs in Ghana. The delegation, headed by Mark Eldon Edington, the Head of the Global Fund’s Grant Management Division, examined topics such as Ghana's co-financing commitments, procurement procedures, delays in clearing health commodities, and the maintenance of programs combating HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.

Akandoh expressed gratitude towards the Global Fund for its continuous backing of Ghana but emphasized the necessity for greater synchronization of donor-backed programs with government priorities, specifically the Free Primary Healthcare initiative. Ghana has made substantial strides in fulfilling its co-financing responsibilities under the Global Fund's seventh grant cycle (GC7).

In this regard, the nation has committed US$38.5 million, constituting 85 percent of its US$45 million pledge. Furthermore, the government is endeavoring to create a specialized budget line for selected health programs to bolster sustainable domestic financing and ensure the continuity of crucial interventions.

Mr. Edington welcomed Ghana's progress on co-financing but expressed concerns over stock-outs of health commodities, inefficiencies in procurement, and delays in handling consignments at ports. He stressed the importance of both immediate actions and long-term strategies to tackle these challenges and prevent their recurrence. These concerns are particularly pertinent for programs tackling HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, which rely on the timely availability of essential medicines and other health commodities.

The Ministry responded to the concerns by announcing steps taken to expedite the clearance of health commodities. These measures include finalizing shipping documentation before consignments arrive at the ports and raising the level of competition among clearing agents to improve efficiency. Akandoh assured the Global Fund delegation of his Ministry's unwavering commitment to resolving the supply chain challenges and ensuring the timely provision of essential health commodities.

He highlighted that enhancing procurement and clearance processes, alongside sustainable domestic financing, would be vital for maintaining high-quality healthcare delivery and supporting vital health programs in Ghana.