The government is facing scrutiny for its handling of the co-financing agreement with the Global Fund, and the Ghana HIV and AIDS network is one of the organisations mounting pressure according to its president, rnest Amoabeng Ortsin.
This issue has been brought to the forefront following the Ministry of Health’s clearance of 14 containers of anti-retroviral drugs and TB medications at the Tema port.
In response to this development, Mr. Amoabeng Ortsin has expressed concerns about the government’s delay in signing the co-financing letter, a crucial document that outlines the country’s financial commitment to the Global Fund’s grant.
He noted that the co-financing letter was supposed to be signed in May of the previous year but remains unsigned, leading to discontent with the Global Fund.
This agreement is vital for the government to procure additional health commodities and support the nation’s health system.
“There is also a co-financing letter that we have to sign… what happens is that each time Global Funds gives drugs to any country, there is a request that you make. They take up a certain percentage and then ask the government to also contribute a certain percentage. That percentage doesn’t go to them, but the government is supposed to use it to buy commodities.
“For example, the current grant that we are operating is from 2024 up to 2026, worth over $240 million and Ghana is supposed to make about 15% of that capital funding. The government is supposed to commit that over three years plus other additional commodities in support of our health system but that letter was supposed to be signed by May last year, the thing is, the letter has not been signed and Global Fund is not happy about that,” he stated.