The Ministry of Health has declared an end to delays in clearing vital medicines at the Tema port.The Public Relations Officer, Isaac Offei Baah, shared this update during an interview on Adom FM's morning show, Dwaso Nsem Wednesday.Mr Baah revealed that the Ministry is poised to clear 182 containers at the port, which hold essential anti-HIV, TB, and malaria medicines, as well as mosquito nets, by Friday, April 12, 2024.

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“These are necessities that as a country we cannot afford to neglect. Since August last year until now, the Ministries of Health and Finance have been working together to ensure that once this clearance is completed, we won’t encounter this issue again. By Friday, everything will be cleared,” he said.

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This response follows a notice issued by the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in HIV, AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, warning of action if the government fails to clear the medications stranded at the port within ten days.Within just 24 hours of receiving the CSOs' notice, the Ministry of Health issued a press statement detailing its efforts to clear the 182 containers of medical supplies stalled at the Tema Ports.

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Baah further noted that the Global Fund's support to the government involved 453 containers, out of which 253 have been cleared from the port between August 2023 and February 2024, with government assistance.He outlined the immediate next steps and plans for collaboration between the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, Ghana Revenue Authority, and other stakeholders.

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