Cutting off donor aid now would deepen health sector strain – Akwasi Acquah

Ghana is not yet in a position to fully withdraw from donor support, particularly in the health sector, according to Alexander Akwasi Acquah, a former Deputy Minister of Health and current member of Parliament’s Health Committee.

Speaking during an interview on PM Express on Monday, Mr. Acquah emphasized that although reducing reliance on foreign aid is a desirable long-term goal, the country’s current health financing structure remains too fragile to sustain a complete break.

“Well, currently, I would say no. We just have to do something about it,” he stated, acknowledging the urgent need for reforms before any meaningful transition can occur.

His remarks follow Ghana’s recent decision to reject a proposed health agreement with the United States, a move that has reignited public debate about whether the country can independently fund critical health services without external assistance.

Drawing from his time in office, Mr. Acquah highlighted persistent systemic challenges that undermine the effective use of donor support. He cited instances where essential medical supplies provided by international partners remained stuck at ports due to bureaucratic delays and tax-related issues.

“Even when we receive aid in the form of logistics, we sometimes struggle to clear them. There have been situations where we attempted to impose taxes on donated items to support our budget, which defeats the purpose,” he explained.

He questioned the practicality of cutting off donor support under such conditions, asking, “If we are unable to efficiently manage the aid we receive, how do we expect to survive without it?”

Mr. Acquah also referenced the Abuja Declaration, which commits African countries to allocate at least 15 percent of their national budgets to healthcare. According to him, even this framework assumes continued support from international development partners.

“This 15 percent target was never meant to function in isolation. It anticipates some level of external assistance, so we must be realistic about our current position,” he noted.

He stressed that Ghana’s immediate priority should be improving efficiency in public spending and eliminating waste within the system. Echoing sentiments expressed by economist Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, Mr. Acquah called for a comprehensive review of government expenditure.

“There is a significant amount of waste in our public sector. If we can cut that down and strengthen our systems, we will be in a better position to gradually reduce dependency,” he said.

The former deputy minister warned that the impact of declining donor support is already being felt across the health sector. He revealed that many programs had become heavily reliant on foreign funding, particularly from the United States and other major partners.

“The health sector is under serious pressure. Some programs depended heavily on this support, and now that it is shrinking, the situation is becoming critical,” he cautioned.

Mr. Acquah further disclosed that recent discussions with officials from the Ghana Health Service revealed looming risks if urgent action is not taken to address funding gaps.

“In a recent engagement with the Ghana Health Service and program managers, it became clear that we face serious challenges ahead if we do not fix our health financing system,” he said.

Despite the concerns, he noted that not all international partners have withdrawn support. While the United States has scaled back its involvement, other donor agencies continue to assist Ghana, providing a window of opportunity for the country to reassess its strategy.

“Fortunately, it is not all partners that have pulled out. Others are still supporting us, and this gives us time to rethink our approach and develop sustainable local funding sources,” he concluded.