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Ghana's Health sector faces collapse over DANIDA's withdrawal

 

According to the NGOs in Health, DANIDA withdrawing its funding support will adversely affect Immunisation and other health care initiatives in the country.

The Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Tove Degnbol had said the withdrawal of DANIDA 's support to Ghana follows Ghana's attainment of middle income status.

She said after supporting Ghana for the past 22 years, the decision to opt out now is to allow other poorer countries in Africa to benefit from the Danish Government.

But Dr GabrielGbiel Benarkuu, National Chairman of the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health has told Accra-based Joy FM, that DANIDA's withdrawal will stress Ghana's health sector.

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We will not be able to pay the human resources that are working in the health sector and we will not be able to train more. These issues will be considerably cut down. And also we will not be able to maintain the current services that we are providing; the issues of immunisation, the issues of HIV, TB," he added.

It is expected that by the end of 2020, support for other sectors will also be phased out.

Dr. Benarkuu believes the government of Ghana "now needs to start planning with civil society organisations and other groups on how we can be able to create a fund to finance our immunisation for children under five."

The Health Minister, Alex Segbefia has however proposed imposing taxes on the health sector as measures to bridge the funding gap.

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