Accra, Oct.25, GNA – A coalition of 55 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) focused on reproductive health has urged the government to expedite the clearance of essential Family Planning (FP) supplies and other medical products that have been stuck at the Tema Port since February.
Valued at $1,610,563, the FP supplies were donated to Ghana by the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
In a release to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), the coalition emphasised that the delay in clearance, due to unpaid duties and accrued demurrage fees, has resulted in critical shortages of key contraceptive supplies at central and regional medical stores, as well as health facilities across the country.
It noted that the stockout of the essential supplies significantly impacted national efforts to improve health outcomes in Ghana, increasing the risk of unintended pregnancies and undermining initiatives aimed at enhancing maternal, newborn, and child health.
According to a Marie Stopes International impact calculator, the use of these FP commodities by women is estimated to prevent 2,514 child deaths, 255 maternal deaths, and 62,728 unsafe abortions, as well as 199,182 unintended pregnancies. This would also save the Ghanaian government over 200 million Ghana cedis in direct healthcare costs.
Recently, Ghana launched the Ghana Family Planning Costed Implementation Plan (GFPCIP), reaffirming the government’s commitment to ensuring that, by 2030, all individuals of reproductive age have equitable and timely access to quality FP information, commodities, and services in alignment with global FP2030 goals.
The statement said that delays in clearing essential FP supplies, resulting in stockouts, raised concerns about the government’s commitment to family planning, the African Union Agenda 2063, and the broader Sustainable Development Goals.
“The government’s inconsistent management of donated supplies not only undermines Ghana’s commitment to these national and global goals, but also risks damaging its international reputation and future partnerships,” it noted.
GNA