$78m US aid cut hits Ghana’s malaria and HIV fight, Mahama tells WHO: time to fund our own healthcare.
John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that Ghana lost about US$78 million in health support due to cuts in some United States aid programmes, affecting malaria, HIV/AIDS, maternal and child healthcare, nutrition, HIV testing and antiretroviral drug supplies. Speaking at the 79th World Health Assembly on May 18, 2026, he said the decline in donor support exposed weaknesses in Africa’s health systems and underscored the need for stronger domestic healthcare financing. He noted that Ghana had increased local investment in the sector through an additional GH¢3 billion released from the uncapped National Health Insurance Fund and a GH¢34 billion allocation in the 2026 Budget, while also introducing digital and AI tools to curb fraud under the NHIS and expanding free primary healthcare access, especially in rural communities.
