The first batch of medicines to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria is expected to leave Tema Port by the end of the week.
A total of 12 bills of lading for medical supplies donated by the Global Fund stored at Tema Port since May last year will be delivered to the port by the end of this week for further distribution to strengthen the country’s fight against the three countries. The ship is scheduled to depart from the port. major diseases.
This follows the intervention of Julie Essiam, Acting Director-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), who met with leaders of the Country Coordination Mechanism of the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. (CCM-Ghana) to resolve the impasse over $45 million worth of medical supplies trapped at Tema Port.
Ms. Esiam stated that in a meeting with CCM-Ghana, although an exemption was granted for the products, there remained unpaid liability for third party customs fees, commissions, demurrage charges and other fines for the products at the port. He said it was unfortunate that the
Due to non-payment of fees, the goods were overstayed and confiscated in the custody of GRA. Products include antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) for the treatment of HIV, medicines for the treatment of tuberculosis (TB), artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for the treatment of malaria, insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), and rapid diagnostic test kits. (RDT) included. , and GeneXpert cartridges.
Nevertheless, the Secretary said the GRA will work with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health to ensure proper processes are in place to ensure the prompt release of goods.
In an interview after the meeting, Esiam said it was important to pay special attention to the intersection of GRA activities with the health sector because human lives are at risk.
“It is my priority to engage consistently and meaningfully with stakeholders across all sectors to ensure that GRA serves our clients’ needs not only with integrity and fairness, but also with empathy. We will continue our efforts to achieve the country’s revenue mobilization goals more efficiently and empathetically,” she said. On behalf of the team, the Acting Chairman of CCM-Ghana, Ernest Amoabeng Olutsin, thanked the Secretary for her proactiveness and solutions. This approach emphasizes the huge impact that health product launches can have.
“Some health facilities are already running low on malaria rapid diagnostic kits (RDTs), insecticide treated nets (ITNs) and anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs).In fact, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) in a statement last month “We have all been informed that if nothing is done to resolve the situation, the country will be completely out of stock of ARVs by May 2024,” he said.
“It goes without saying that the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria will have dire consequences,” he added. “Therefore, Mr. Secretary, this meeting is very timely and we are pleased with the roadmap laid out for the way forward, working with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health,” Oltsin said. .
The Secretary was accompanied to the meeting by Deputy Commissioner Emmanuel Ohene and Deputy Commissioner for Customs Affairs Kofi Baidoo, while on the Global Fund program side were CCM Ghana Executive Director Samuel Hackman and the person responsible for overseeing the COVID-19 Response Mechanism. , Sydney Kweku Danso.
coalition petition
Meanwhile, the Coalition of CSO Networks for HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria has announced on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, to submit a petition to the Office of the President and Congress against the continued lock-up in Tema of health supplies donated by the Global Fund. They announced that they would be holding a demonstration. port.
At a press conference in Accra yesterday, conveners explained that the demonstration would begin at 7am at the Obura spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange and pass through several major roads to present the petition.
The coalition said more than $45 million worth of goods have been wasted at the port since May last year. This is leading to product shortages in medical facilities across the country, loss of life and frustration among health care workers, they said.
sign the contract
The coalition government also mandated that the Ministry of Health and the Treasury contribute 15% of the $248 million GC7 grant (approximately $45 million) to strengthen support from the government. They ask you to sign a liability agreement. Global Fund.
They explained that the Global Fund is encouraging domestic investment in health systems and the three diseases to accelerate progress towards ending them as public threats by 2030. “The agreement, which required the signatures of the Minister of Health and the Minister of Finance, should have been submitted” in May 2023, around the time the country submitted its GC7 funding request.
“However, this letter has not been signed for the past year and now poses a threat to the disbursement of funds to the country,” said Oltsin, who is also the chief convenor and chairman of the Ghana HIV and AIDS Network. .
He called on the President and Congress to take immediate action to prevent a public health emergency. Elaborating on the situation, the Chair said that since 2002, the Global Fund has supported more than $1.2 billion in countries’ national responses to the three diseases, and that this funding is provided to countries in three-year cycles. Ta.
He said the Global Fund transported $45 million worth of HIV, AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria goods as part of its commitment to GC6. Upon arrival, the government notified the Global Fund that the $400,000 the Fund had set aside for procurement and supply management costs would not be sufficient to clear customs due to increased port fees.
“According to the government, the taxes, surcharges and port fees required to clear the goods will be $3.6 million,” he said, adding that the medicines may have expired. expressed concern about the storage conditions. or become unsafe for human consumption unless immediate action is taken.
Cecilia Rodonu Senou, founder and executive director of the non-governmental organization Hope for Trust Generations, called on the public to join them in urging the government to clear goods through customs.
“We cannot simply risk the lives of people, especially the vulnerable people of this country, and die because of someone’s irresponsibility,” Madame Rodonu Senou said.