‘What we wanted was money to buy medications’ – Dr Nawaane on US health support

Dr. Mark Kurt Nawane, Chairman of Parliament's Select Committee on Health in Ghana, has called for more direct funding to provide essential medications for tuberculosis, HIV, and malaria patients. He believes Ghana should prioritize securing resources to purchase medicines for these patients instead of relying heavily on capacity-building programs focused on training and meetings.

Dr. Nawane pointed out figures of $82.5 million in capacity-building support for 2025 and $53 million for 2026, questioning whether these funds effectively address Ghana's most pressing health needs. He stressed that Ghana urgently needs resources to buy medications for TB, HIV, and malaria patients, and highlighted a potential $74 million gap that would need to be bridged for essential medicines and related health requirements.

Dr. Nawane emphasized that while capacity-building support is helpful, it cannot replace the need for medicines and other critical commodities. He pointed out that directing donor support towards such activities might leave Ghana with additional financial burdens to meet basic pharmaceutical needs. Dr. Nawane's remarks come as there are concerns about changes in US health assistance and their implications for Ghana's health sector.

He reiterated Ghana's willingness to cooperate with the United States on health but stressed that future partnerships should be structured to meet the country's most urgent health needs. Dr. Nawane argued that health partnerships should focus on securing essential medicines and commodities for patients rather than leaving Ghana with additional obligations to fill funding gaps.

His comments are part of a larger discussion about the terms of Ghana's proposed health arrangement with the United States and how the country should structure future international health partnerships.