Sarkodie thanks President John Dramani Mahama for rejecting ‘humiliating’ US health compact

• Sarkodie has thanked President John Dramani Mahama for rejecting a proposed US health compact that the President said contained concerns over Ghana’s health data and medical regulatory powers.

• Mahama said the proposed agreement included provisions on sharing Ghana’s pathogen profile and medical records, contributing funding to healthcare and limiting the FDA’s ability to inspect certain medical products.

• Sarkodie said Ghana deserves greater respect and expressed hope that the country would regain what he described as its “full respect” in its dealings with the US and other Western countries.

Sarkodie’s comments followed Mahama’s recent explanation of the decision, in which the President raised concerns about provisions relating to health data, counterpart funding and the regulatory powers of Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).

Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on September 25, Mahama said Ghana’s Ministry of Health had reviewed the proposed agreement before it was presented to Cabinet.

According to the President, the document contained provisions requiring Ghana to provide the US with its pathogen profile and medical records. He also said the agreement required Ghana to contribute funding towards the programme and would have restricted the FDA’s ability to inspect medicines and other medical products brought into the country under the arrangement.

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Mahama described the conditions as “humiliating” and said Cabinet rejected the proposal shortly after reviewing it.

He said;

The President said the proposed compact was intended to replace some health funding Ghana had previously received through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

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Reacting to the President’s comments, Sarkodie took to X to commend Mahama for Ghana’s decision to reject the proposed agreement.

The rapper said Ghana deserved greater respect and expressed hope that the country would regain what he described as its “full respect” in its dealings with the United States and other Western countries.

Sarkodie wrote;

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His post came as the debate over Ghana’s decision continued, particularly around the handling of health information and the country’s regulatory authority.

Mahama has said the rejection forms part of a broader push for greater health self-reliance, including strengthening Ghana’s capacity to produce medicines and vaccines and reducing dependence on external health financing.