President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that Ghana is facing a major shortfall in health financing following the discontinuation of programmes previously supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), warning that reduced external assistance is straining healthcare systems across Africa.
Addressing delegates at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, John Dramani Mahama said Ghana alone has recorded a loss of about $78 million in health sector support after the withdrawal of USAID-backed interventions.
According to him, the affected funds had been channelled into critical health areas such as maternal and child healthcare, malaria control, HIV and AIDS response, nutrition programmes, and the provision of antiretroviral medicines.
He cautioned that the situation is not unique to Ghana but reflects a wider continental challenge, with many African countries experiencing a steady decline in bilateral and multilateral health financing since 2025.
The former president noted that the shrinking donor support is widening gaps in essential healthcare delivery, especially in low- and middle-income countries that continue to rely heavily on external assistance to sustain key interventions.
“In Ghana, health financing from bilateral and multilateral partners has significantly decreased since 2025. Ghana lost 78 million dollars in health funding following the closure of USAID programmes.
“This funding mainly went into malaria control programmes, maternal and child health services, HIV and AIDS interventions, and nutrition programmes,” he said.
He further argued that the development underscores the vulnerability of health systems dependent on external funding, stressing the need for increased domestic investment and stronger financing frameworks to ensure continuity of essential services.
Mahama added that the trend reinforces calls for reforms in global health financing systems to protect gains made in public health and strengthen resilience within national healthcare structures.
