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The Ministry of Health is currently in talks with donor partners to help finance the purchase of medical supplies for the country. A fire outbreak at the Central Medical Stores in Tema last month where medical supplies are stored for onward distribution to medical facilities nationwide destroyed items worth over GH¢200 million. 

So far, an amount of GH¢25 million has been released to the Ministry of Health to purchase medicines and equipment which were destroyed by the fire.

But the Ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Tony Goodman told Citi News that following the fire at the Medical stores, about GH¢75 million is needed to fully replace the items which were destroyed.

This means the Health Ministry needs an additional GH¢50 million and is therefore appealing for assistance from donor partners.He stated that the money from the government had come at a crucial time but they still required the rest of the money in order for their new facility to be fully operational.

“After the fire outbreak at the Tema Central Medical Stores, we immediately noted short to medium term items that may be needed. The cost was about GH¢ 75 Million Ghana Cedis and we were trying to go to Government to get that amount of money to get the supplies. Government made available GH¢ 25 million and we are expecting that development partners will help us complement these financial resources so that we can get those medicines and stock the new warehouse we have now,” he said.


An investigation was launched into the cause of the fire and subsequently, the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) picked up 10 workers, including top figures of the Central Medical Stores for questioning.

Although concerns were raised about the effect of the fire on medical supplies to health facilities, the Minister, Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Mensah gave the assurance that the Ministry had enough medical supplies to last for a period of three months.

11 major fire incidents from December 2014 to February 2015

1. Half Assini fire-killed one, burnt a house

2. Four shops at Ashaima gutted

3. Melcom service warehouse in Accra consumed by fire

4. Six year old  girl and a 9 month old baby confirmed dead in Osu fire

5. Parts of Kumasi central market destroyed by fire

6. One person killed in Kokompe market fire

7. Tema Central medical store gutted by fire

8. Fire destroyed  31 new vehicles in Tema

9. Fire burnt shops in Dome; one person feared dead

10. Fire destroyed Tamale Aboabo grains market

11. Parts of Kumasi military barracks burnt by fire