Ghana rejects health deal with US over concerns about sharing sensitive data

Nii Ayitey Brown 11:05 - 28 April 2026

Ghana has rejected a $109 million U.S. health deal over concerns about sharing sensitive data, highlighting tensions between foreign aid and national data protection.

Ghana has rejected a proposed U.S. health deal over concerns about sharing sensitive health data, according to Reuters.
The agreement, worth about $109 million over five years, was part of a broader U.S. global health strategy but stalled after increased pressure during negotiations.
Similar concerns have affected deals with other countries, as Ghana balances foreign aid benefits with data protection and national sovereignty.

Ghana has rejected a proposed bilateral health agreement with the United States over concerns about provisions requiring the sharing of sensitive health data and constant pressure, according to a report by Reuters.

According to Reuters, sources familiar with the negotiations said that Ghana pulled back from the deal after raising issues with data-sharing requirements embedded in the agreement.

The proposed deal, which negotiations began in November last year, was expected to provide about $109 million in U.S. health assistance over 5 years.

However, concerns over data privacy and national sovereignty reportedly became a major sticking point.

According to Reuters, discussions initially progressed normally but became more intense as the deadline approached.

“They were pretty normal dealings and negotiations in the beginning, and then increasingly there was a lot more pressure, especially at the end,” a source told the outlet.

Washington reportedly set April 24 as the deadline to conclude the agreement, but Accra ultimately decided it could not accept the terms.

Ghana has since communicated its position to U.S. authorities, although officials from Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry have not publicly commented on the matter.

The proposed agreement falls under a broader policy direction by the U.S. government known as the “America First Global Health Strategy,” which encourages countries to take on greater responsibility for funding and managing their own health systems.

A spokesperson for the United States Department of State declined to comment on specifics of the Ghana negotiations but said efforts to strengthen bilateral ties would continue.

“We continue to look for ways to strengthen the bilateral partnership between our two countries,” the spokesperson told Reuters.

Ghana received about $219 million in total U.S. assistance in 2024, including $96 million dedicated to health programmes.

Ghana is not alone in raising concerns over the terms of the new agreements. Reuters reports that similar negotiations with Zimbabwe collapsed over related issues, while a court in Kenya has suspended implementation of a comparable deal pending legal challenges from a consumer rights group.

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