The Ministry of Health (MoH) has promised to clear the backlog of medical supplies at the Tema Port within the next two weeks.
This development follows the proposed demonstrations by health-focused Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), who are advocating for the release of vital Global Fund medications for diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV, which have been stuck at the ports since May 2023.
The government has attributed the delay to the implementation of new exemption bill payment procedures and additional fees.
Despite these challenges, the Minister of Health, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, stated he will ensure that the two-week timeframe for the clearance of these medical supplies will be honored.
This statement was made during his engagement with the press in Accra on Thursday, June 13.
“We are committed to getting the containers out and for me personally, irrespective of the bureaucracies involved with government and all that I have given myself two weeks. In two weeks, I myself will not be encouraged if there are two more or one more containers left at the port.
“In fact, and this one you can take it from me. If by two weeks we still have containers at the port, you will not see me, I will be sitting rather at the port. I will sit at the port with them until everything comes out,” he declared.