Ghana Reportedly Rejects Proposed US Health Aid Deal Over Data Concerns
- Ghana has reportedly rejected a bilateral health agreement with the United States under the Trump administration
- The decision is said to be the latest setback in Washington’s efforts to restructure its foreign aid framework
- Meanwhile, both governments maintain that discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation are ongoing despite the stalled deal
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Ghana has reportedly turned down a bilateral health deal with the United States.
This is according to a publication sighted on Reuters on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.
Source: UGC
According to the report, Ghana’s rejection of the deal is the latest stumbling block to President Donald Trump’s administration’s efforts to overhaul foreign aid.
The Government of Ghana, led by President John Dramani Mahama, rejected the deal because of terms requiring the sharing of sensitive health data, a Reuters source said.
“The same issue sank talks with Zimbabwe this year and also prompted a court to suspend implementation of Kenya’s deal, pending the hearing of a case filed by a consumer protection group,” the report said.
When contacted for comment, Reuters claimed that the spokesperson for Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry failed to respond.
The U.S. State Department also said that it does not disclose details of bilateral negotiations.
“We continue to look for ways to strengthen the bilateral partnership between our two countries,” a spokesperson said.
President Trump’s administration in September announced a new “America First Global Health Strategy” that calls for poorer nations to play a bigger role in fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and polio in their countries, and to eventually transition from aid to self-reliance.
US disburses $219m in foreign assistance to Ghana
The U.S. Agency for International Development was shut down earlier this year.
The United States disbursed $219 million in foreign assistance to Ghana in 2024, including $96 million specifically for health, according to government foreign assistance data. This was prior to the Trump administration’s cuts to foreign aid.
A proposed agreement, which the two sides began negotiating last November, would have provided $109 million in U.S. health assistance over five years, according to a source. However, it remains unclear how much Ghana would have been expected to contribute.
“They were pretty normal dealings and negotiations in the beginning, and then increasingly there was a lot more pressure, especially at the end,” the source said.
Washington later set an April 24 deadline for the conclusion of talks, but Accra reportedly decided it could not accept the proposed terms, the source added.
Ghana has since communicated its position to the Trump administration.
As of Monday, the State Department had signed 32 agreements under the “America First Global Health Strategy”, representing $20.6 billion in funding. This includes $12.8 billion from the U.S. and $7.8 billion in co-investment from recipient countries, according to a State Department spokesperson.
Washington expects additional memoranda of understanding to be signed in the near future, the spokesperson added.
Source: UGC
Ghana introduces Free Primary Healthcare
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that President John Dramani Mahama had launched the Free Primary Healthcare policy on Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
The Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, said the policy will cost at least GH₵1.2 billion annually.
The government sad the initiative was the result of extensive costing and consultations and will prioritise underserved communities.
Source: YEN.com.gh
