Government clears 14 containers of essential medicines out of 182 locked up at Tema Port

Government has finally cleared some 14 containers of essential medicines out of 182 locked up at the Tema Port and the Kotota International Airport.

The essential medicines include Antiretrovirals (ARV) for treatment of HIV, medications for treatment of TB, Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACTs) for the treatment of Malaria, Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs), Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDTs) kits, and Gene Xpert Cartridges among others.

It follows threats by the Coalition of Civil Society Organization Networks in HIV, TB and Malaria serving notice to hit the streets next week to pile pressure on the government to clear some essential drugs donated to the country by Global Fund, valued at some 40 million dollars, which have been sitting at the port since May 2023.

According to the CSOs, the situation has led to needless loss of life as critical drugs are wasting away at the detriment of patients in dire need of them.

The CSOs had expressed serious concerns about the delay in clearing the essential medical supplies. They argued that this delay was causing harm to patients who desperately needed these medications.

Addressing the press, Chief Director of the Ministry of Health Alhaji Hafiz Adam said the latest action by the government leaves some 168 more containers to be cleared at the ports.

“Today, 14 containers of health commodities, comprising 10 containers of malaria RDT containers, one container of malaria injection, and three containers of malaria medicine will be delivered to a warehouse,” he added.

Meanwhile,the Ministry of Health, in a statement on April 9 has initiated processes to ensure clearance of the goods by Friday, 12th April 2024.

“We wish to re-assure our stakeholders and the general public that the challenges associated with the clearing of MoH medicines and other commodities from the Tema Port and other points of entry have been conclusively and completely resolved by the government,” the MoH added in a release issued on Tuesday, April 9.

The MoH explained that as part of the Global Fund’s ongoing support to the Government of Ghana, it received 435 containers at the Tema Port between August 2023 and February 2024 containing anti-HIV, TB and malaria medicines and mosquito nets for distribution across the country.

Out of the 435 containers, the MoH said it successfully and swiftly cleared 253 from the Port with the support of the government, leaving 182 containers.

Director, Revenue Policy Division, Ministry of Finance, George Winful also announced the setting up of inter-ministerial committee to address the perennial challenge of clearing medical supplies at the ports.