Ghana loses $78 million in health funding from Trump’s USAID programmes shutdown

Maxwell Nyagamago 11:12 - 18 May 2026

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President John Dramani Mahama says Ghana lost $78 million in health funding following the shutdown of USAID programmes

President John Mahama says Ghana lost $78 million in health funding after the Trump administration shut down USAID programmes, affecting malaria, HIV/AIDS, maternal health, and rural healthcare services.

John Dramani Mahama says Ghana lost $78 million in health funding following the shutdown of USAID programmes under U.S. President Donald Trump.
The cuts affected malaria, HIV/AIDS, maternal and child healthcare, nutrition programmes, and antiretroviral drug delivery.
President Mahama warned the aid suspension could deepen poverty and worsen healthcare challenges across Africa.

Ghana's President, John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that Ghana lost $78 million in health funding following the decision by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to shut down programmes under the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

According to President Mahama, the funding cuts have severely affected critical health interventions, including malaria control, maternal and child healthcare, nutrition, HIV/AIDS programmes, testing services, and the delivery of antiretroviral drugs.

Beginning January 20, 2025, the Trump administration froze all U.S. foreign aid before systematically dismantling USAID. By July 1, 2025, the agency had officially closed, with 86% of its programmes, valued at $75.9 billion, terminated.

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Delivering a keynote address at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva on Monday, May 18, President Mahama lamented the broader consequences of the cuts on global healthcare systems.

He said:

The World Health Organisation's budget has been gutted by the withdrawal of U.S. assistance, forcing the organisation to scale down programmes and undertake steep staff retrenchments.

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In Ghana, health financing from bilateral and multilateral partners has significantly decreased since 2025. Ghana lost $78 million in health funding following the closure of USAID programmes.

Donald Trump Photographer: Ken Cedeno/UPI/Bloomberg

He added:

This money went mainly into malaria programmes, maternal and child health, nutrition, HIV/AIDS programmes, including testing and delivery of antiretroviral drugs.

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The President also referenced the impact in South Africa, stating:

In South Africa, the abrupt withdrawal of PEPFAR funding has shut clinics, terminated gender-based violence programmes, and left 1.4 million people living with HIV uncertain about their treatment continuity.

President Mahama further warned about the projected humanitarian consequences of the aid cuts.

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He stated:

And we're told that by 2030, 9 million preventable deaths could occur due to these shifts. It is estimated that the direct consequences of this aid suspension could push about 5.7 million Africans into poverty by the end of 2026.

The cuts have triggered growing concern across the global health community, with a study published in medical journal The Lancet projecting up to 9.4 million additional deaths by 2030.

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Aid reductions by other major donors, including the United Kingdom and Germany, have further compounded the crisis.

The United States previously spent an estimated $12 billion to $15 billion annually on global health initiatives through USAID and related agencies, accounting for roughly 20% to 25% of total global health aid.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

The funding supported programmes targeting malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, maternal healthcare, and child health.

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In 2024 alone, Ghana received $50 million in USAID support for basic healthcare and an additional $14.7 million for maternal and child health programmes.

Over the past decade, USAID investments in Ghana contributed significantly to reducing child mortality rates and supporting healthcare delivery in rural communities.

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Although the Ghanaian government has moved to address the funding gap, experts warn that the National Health Insurance Levy alone may not be sufficient to fully replace the lost support, particularly in underserved rural areas.

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