Ghana has received 9,500 doses of hepatitis C medications, valued at nearly $80,000, from the Government of Egypt, a partnership expected to play a crucial role in shaping the future of healthcare delivery in Ghana.
Receiving the medications on behalf of the government on Tuesday, in Accra, the Deputy Minister for Health, Prof. Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, expressed appreciation and described the donation as timely, especially in an era where foreign aid was declining.
She noted that receiving such support from a fellow African country reinforces the importance of intra-African solidarity and cooperation and indicated that Ghana looks forward to deepening collaboration with Egypt in other critical areas of the health sector.
According to her, strengthening such ties was key to advancing Africa’s health sovereignty and ensuring sustainable access to essential medicines and vaccines.
The Deputy Minister formally handed over the medications to the Ghana Health Service for distribution and use in the country.
The Egyptian Ambassador to Ghana, Wael Fathy Ahmed, described the gesture as a reflection of the growing cooperation between Ghana and Egypt, highlighting the importance of African countries supporting one another, particularly in the face of global health challenges.
He emphasised the need for more cooperation throughout the continent by pointing out that Africa was among the last places to obtain vaccines, drawing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.
He noted that it was time for African countries to collaborate in order to address common health issues and lessen reliance on outside assistance, adding that the partnership between Egypt and Ghana extends beyond donations, pointing to opportunities for collaboration in pharmaceutical development and vaccine manufacturing in Ghana.
Priscilla Osei-Wusu Nimako, ISD
