The Coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Health has raised doubts about the government’s pledge to address the issue of delayed lifesaving drugs trapped at the port due to unpaid import duties by the end of the week.
The Ministry of Health has stated that there has been significant headway in clearing the remaining 182 out of 435 containers of antiretrovirals, TB, and malaria medicines at the Tema Port by April 12. This development comes after the Global Fund issued a warning to cut off supplies to Ghana if the congestion at the ports is not resolved.
Ernest Ortsin, who serves as the president of the Ghana HIV and AIDS Network, expressed skepticism during an interview with Citi News, questioning the likelihood of the goods being cleared by the set deadline.
“We appreciate the efforts of the Ministry of Health, although they have made similar promises in the past. What sets this apart is the new acting Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority’s involvement in the situation.
She has expressed her commitment to working with the ministry to ensure the clearance of the commodities. This collaboration is the novelty in the latest statement from the ministry. Therefore, we are cautiously optimistic and hoping that by Friday, all the commodities will be claimed as promised.”
