The Minority in Parliament has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the government to ensure the containers of medical supplies stuck at the Tema port are cleared.
The Ranking Member of the Health Committee of Parliament, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh issued the ultimatum at a press briefing on Wednesday.
About 120 containers are said to be stuck after the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Ministry of Finance in April cleared 14 holding essential medicines for antiretroviral, Tuberculosis (TB), and malaria treatments donated by the Global Fund.
The drugs were locked up at the port for almost a year due to the government’s inability to settle third-party fees.
But Mr Akandoh who is also the Juaboso Member of Parliament has said the government’s delay in clearing the remaining containers demonstrates unprecedented irresponsibility.
“We are calling on the president, and his Vice, Ghanaians are suffering and these medications are running out of stock. The Ghana Medical Association has said that very soon we will run out of stock in most of these medications.
“Therefore, Mr President, at least the right to health care is enshrined in the 1992 constitution and you should not continue to disgrace Ghana like you continue to do. So, we expect that within the next 24 hours, we must hear something positive with regard to the clearing of containers with the drugs at the port,” he stated.
Meanwhile, members of the Country Coordinating Mechanism (Ghana CCM) of the Global Fund in Ghana have threatened to hit the streets on June 25, 2024, if the supplies are not cleared.
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