Delayed clearing of ARVs: Ghana’s image dented abroad – Amoabeng Ortsin
The Lead Convener, Coalition of CSOs Network in HIV, TB and Malaria, Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin says Ghana’s image has been badly dented on the international scene following the government’s delay in clearing medicines including antiretroviral drugs from the Tema Port.
On April 12, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) handed over 14 out of the 182 containers of locked up pharmaceutical products needed in the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis to the Ministry of Health.
The essential medical commodities, including antiretroviral drugs for HIV patients, were stuck at the Tema port for almost a year due to the government’s inability to settle third-party fees.
Earlier, Global Fund had threatened to suspend the shipment of crucial medical supplies to Ghana, citing delays in clearing previous donations stuck at the Tema Port.
As part of on-going support by the Global Fund (GF) to the Government of Ghana, the Ministry of Health (MoH) in the period between August 2023 and February 2024 received 435 containers at the Tema Port, containing anti-HIV, TB and malaria medicines and mosquito nets for distribution across the country.
Out of the 435 containers, MoH successfully and expeditiously cleared 253 from the Port through the support of Government, with 182 containers remaining.
In an interview with New York-based Adinkra Radio, Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin expressed displeasure of the delay in clearing the essential drugs from the Tema Port, a development that he said has cast Ghana in a bad light internationally.
“Internationally this issue has not been good for our image. Our counterparts abroad kept on asking what is going on in Ghana with regards to clearing the drugs. Such delays never happen in other countries so they were surprised about what was happening here in Ghana. Internationally, it has not been good for our image as a country,” he told Morning show host Daakyehene Ofosu Agyemang.
Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin disclosed that a national dialogue will be held on 20th-21st May where all the stakeholders will meet and deliberate on what happened and fashion a lasting solution to avoid a recurrence.
He further disclosed that the Civil Society groups have decided to suspend their intended demonstration over the delay in clearing the drugs.
“Once the government has now showed good faith, we think we should also show good faith by calling off our intended demonstration and rather collaborate with the government to find a lasting solution to this matter.”
Source: Adinkraradio.com
