About 120 containers of TB and malaria medicines donated by Global Fund to Ghana are still locked up at the Tema Port.
The Executive Secretary of the Ghana Country Coordinating Mechanism of Global Fund, Samuel Hackman disclosed this on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem Tuesday.
Mr Hackman expressed worry over the snail pace of government in clearing the products which some Ghanaians are in dire need of.
“The potency of drugs are mostly for two and three years and so if the shelf life reduces, it also affects the efficacy of the drugs,” he said.
The shipments were received between August 2023 and February 2024 at the Tema Port.
Of the 435 containers received during this period, the MoH successfully cleared 253 with government support, leaving 182 containers awaiting clearance.
In April, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) announced it had secured the tax waivers to enable it to clear the drugs after months of delay.
However, demurrages and third-party charges are amounting to seven million cedis which must be paid.
But according to Mr Hackman, Global Fund is closely monitoring the process and it can strain the relationship with the country.
In his view, it would have been better for government to outrightly reject the medication if there was no need for them instead of it been stuck at the port for months.
“Just like we make emergency payments for certain things, we must also expedite the process for this. At the moment, we have started another grant that will run till December 2026 with Ghana.
“It is about $248 million and we have added almost 100 million dollars to Ghana’s grant but if we can’t resolve the issues with the former, what will motivate Global Fund to do more?” he quizzed.
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