Ghana has joined Zambia and Zimbabwe in Southern Africa in turning down a proposed healthcare agreement with the United States, pointing to serious concerns over possible data security risks.
In February, Zambia stopped a health financing arrangement from the U.S. valued at over $1 billion, saying parts of the proposal did not align with its national priorities.
The agreement, which was intended to manage more than $1 billion in U.S. support over five years, focused on tackling HIV/AIDS and malaria, improving maternal and child healthcare, and strengthening preparedness for disease outbreaks.
Before Zambia pulled out, Zimbabwe had already exited negotiations on a separate $350 million U.S. health funding package, raising objections over issues linked to national sovereignty.
The government in Harare specifically resisted provisions that would grant extended access to its health data, arguing that such terms could expose sensitive population information.
More recently, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters that Ghana has raised similar objections regarding a U.S. health arrangement.
The West African nation reportedly rejected the idea of granting access to confidential health data as part of the agreement.
A spokesperson noted that discussions remain focused on maintaining strong cooperation between both countries.
The source further disclosed that negotiations between Ghana and the United States began in November last year over a five-year health package worth about $109 million.
At the outset, talks were described as standard, but they became increasingly tense as the process continued, especially toward the final stages.
Washington later set April 24 as the deadline for concluding the agreement.
Ultimately, Ghana decided it could not proceed with the terms offered by the United States.
Official foreign aid data shows that the U.S. provided $219 million in assistance to Ghana in 2024, before Donald Trump returned to office in 2025 and halted USAID operations globally.
By March, about 17 African countries including Nigeria, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Rwanda had already signed on to the revised U.S. health agreements.