Mahama says Cabinet rejected U.S. health proposal over sovereignty concerns
President John Dramani Mahama has defended Ghana’s decision to reject a proposed U.S. health compact, saying Cabinet found several of its conditions unacceptable and inconsistent with the country’s sovereignty.
Speaking at a Council on Foreign Relations event on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Mahama said the agreement, which was intended to replace certain U.S. health assistance, was rejected after a review by the Ministry of Health and Cabinet.
According to the President, the proposal sought access to Ghana’s pathogen profile and medical records, provisions he said immediately raised concerns among government officials.
“One, it says that we shall give the United States our pathogen profile… And it also says we should give our medical records. I mean, who takes another country’s medical records?” he said.
Mahama also objected to provisions he said would have limited the authority of Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority to inspect imported medicines and medical products under the programme.
He said Cabinet considered the conditions unacceptable despite the financial support attached to the proposal, reportedly worth about $100 million.
Describing the terms as “humiliating,” the President said the government decided it would rather rely on its own resources than accept an arrangement it believed compromised Ghana’s independence in managing its health sector.
“And so of course we rejected it. And we asked the health minister to inform the U.S. ambassador that we didn’t need it. We’ll manage ourselves,” he said.
Mahama maintained that Ghana remains committed to partnerships with international allies but stressed that such cooperation must respect the country’s laws, institutions and sovereignty.
Source: 3News
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