Lack of Political Will to Improve Health Outcomes or Purely Administrative Hitch?

There has been disheartening news in the past few days about essential health commodities languishing at the Tema Port since August 2023, yet to be cleared, according to a press release by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana.

The health commodities, according to further news sources, are valued at $45 million, purchased with Global Fund allocations, and crucial to alleviate the sufferings of those living with HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

This unfortunate news comes when beneficiaries of these health commodities are feared to be facing a shortage at various health centres; that will expose them to more harm and exacerbate their health conditions.

For a country with inadequate funding for health interventions and initiatives, receiving support from the Global Fund to enhance the fight against critical health conditions should not be downplayed. We cannot afford to jeopardize precious funding earmarked for healthcare interventions and initiatives, especially when lives hang in the balance.

It is a sad reality that these life-saving drugs to support vulnerable populations are ensnared either between bureaucratic complexities or purely a lack of political will to improve the health and well-being of citizens. Each passing day of administrative inertia or lack of action indicates a betrayal of our shared duty to safeguard the health and well-being of Ghanaians.

For a country that is part of the global drive to attain Universal Health Coverage and committed to positive and accelerated actions toward health for all, this is a total betrayal and deviation from our commitment. It is a great dissonance between our commitment and actions that is unacceptable.

As an organization deeply committed to advocating for rights-based, equitable, quality, and accessible health care toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), this action is disturbing, rolling back efforts to ensure health for all. It threatens the very fabric of Ghana’s health system and requires urgent attention and action.

We implore the government and state authorities in charge to prioritize the release of funds necessary to expedite the clearance of these crucial commodities and ensure their swift distribution to healthcare facilities across the nation after their efficacy has been tested, following the long delay at the port.

The urgency of this situation cannot be overemphasized. Lives are at stake, and every moment of delay is a disservice to those in urgent need of these medications.

We call on other civil society organizations to join the call for action, demanding that the government fulfill its obligation to ensure access to essential healthcare services for all.

The health and well-being of vulnerable groups depend on these health commodities, and history will judge us by our response during this critical moment. Compassion and justice must guide our actions as we build a healthy and more equitable country.

We emphasize the urgent need for the government’s swift intervention to expedite the clearance of these crucial health commodities and ensure their distribution to healthcare facilities.

Urgent action is imperative to prevent further harm to the health and well-being of beneficiaries. That is not merely a matter of bureaucratic procedure; it is a moral imperative that demands immediate redress.

As we commemorate World Tuberculosis Day under the theme ‘Yes, We Can End TB’, urgent action to salvage the situation will be a step in the right direction.

Yes, We Can!

REFERENCES

https://www.myjoyonline.com/looming-shortage-of-hiv-malaria-tb-drugs-as-medications-expire-at-port/