President John Dramani Mahama has revealed that Ghana lost approximately US$78 million in health sector support following cuts to some United States aid programmes, affecting malaria, HIV/AIDS, maternal healthcare, and other critical interventions.
Speaking at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva on May 18, 2026, Mahama said the reduction in funding had placed additional strain on Ghana’s healthcare system, particularly in areas such as malaria prevention, maternal and child healthcare, nutrition programmes, HIV testing, and the supply of antiretroviral drugs.
According to the president, the decline in donor support highlights the urgent need for African countries to strengthen domestic healthcare financing and reduce reliance on foreign assistance.
“The old system of donor dependency is past its sell-by date,” Mahama told delegates at the assembly.
He noted that the withdrawal of support from some Western countries had disrupted healthcare financing across Africa and exposed structural weaknesses within national health systems.
Mahama also disclosed that the World Health Organization had scaled down some programmes and reduced staff numbers following the withdrawal of US assistance.
The president warned that the broader impact of aid suspensions across Africa could push an estimated 5.7 million people into poverty by the end of 2026.
Despite the setback, Mahama said the government had intensified local investment in the health sector to cushion the effects of the funding cuts.
According to him, the uncapping of the National Health Insurance Fund has released an additional GH¢3 billion for healthcare spending, while the 2026 Budget allocated GH¢34 billion to the health sector.
He added that the government is deploying digital systems, including artificial intelligence tools, to help detect fraudulent claims under the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Mahama further stated that Ghana has begun implementing a free primary healthcare programme aimed at expanding access to basic healthcare services, particularly in rural communities.
He noted that the National Health Insurance Scheme currently covers about 66 per cent of the population, leaving roughly one-third of Ghanaians outside the system.
The president also said Ghana is working toward reducing its dependence on vaccine support programmes and hopes to transition away from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, assistance by 2030.
Calling for reforms within the global health system, Mahama cautioned against reform efforts that focus more on protecting institutions than on addressing inefficiencies.
“We cannot prioritise institutional comfort over human survival,” he said.
