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The Member of Parliament for Juaboso and Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has lauded former President and flagbearer of the NDC, John Mahama Dramani for his significant contributions to Ghana’s health sector.

Speaking on NDC360, Akandoh highlighted Mahama’s strategic vision to transform Ghana into a hub for quality and affordable healthcare.

According to him, Mahama’s administration aimed to increase the country’s bed capacity by 6,000 through the construction of key health facilities, including the Ridge Hospital, Police Hospital, Dodowa District Hospital, Maritime Hospital, and hospitals in Fomena, Afari, and Kumawu.

In contrast, Akandoh criticized the health sector’s current state under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration, describing it as ailing.

Akandoh pointed to Ghana’s longstanding partnerships with international health organizations like UNICEF, GAVI, and the Global Fund. He explained that UNICEF and GAVI have been instrumental in providing vaccines for combating six major childhood diseases, including polio and measles. He stated that for over forty years, these organizations have supported Ghana’s efforts to fight these diseases.

However, Akandoh claimed that these efforts were undermined under Akufo-Addo’s leadership, resulting in a resurgence of these diseases in 2022.

Additionally, Akandoh highlighted the crucial role of the Global Fund, which has been assisting Ghana since 2002 in the fight against malaria, HIV, and tetanus. He revealed that in 2021, 2022 and 2023, the Global Fund granted Ghana $233 million to purchase essential drugs.

Commenting on the backlog of uncleared medicines at the port, he stated, “Before the Global Fund ships any drugs, a Quantification Ad Hoc Committee, led by the Ghana Health Service, determines the country’s needs. The Global Fund then provides detailed notifications of drug shipments to ensure adequate preparation”.

He said although the Global Fund includes an additional one percent of the total shipment value to clear drugs, the government has not been able to clear the drugs upon arrival due to increased port port charges.