Civil society organisations (CSOs) are warning that Ghana risks not only a public health emergency but also significant economic setbacks as critical family planning commodities worth $500,000 remain stranded at the country’s ports for over eight months.
The Ghana CSOs Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) says the prolonged delay in clearing the supplies, procured by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and consigned to the Ministry of Health is already disrupting supply chains and weakening productivity across the healthcare system.
At a press conference in Accra, Ms Henritta Kaakyire Ataah, Advocacy and Youth Coordinator at Marie Stopes Ghana, described the situation as a “costly bottleneck” with far-reaching implications for Ghana’s human capital development and fiscal stability.
“These are not just idle goods; they are critical economic inputs into the health system,” she said, noting that the shipment includes contraceptive pills, implants, injectables, condoms, intrauterine devices (IUDs), and essential medical instruments.
According to the CSOs, the delay has triggered declining stock levels at national and regional medical stores, raising the risk of shortages in clinics nationwide. This, they argue, could translate into increased healthcare costs for both households and the state.
From an economic perspective, limited access to contraceptives is linked to higher rates of unintended pregnancies, which place additional pressure on public health expenditure, social services, and household incomes.
Data cited by the group indicates that modern contraceptive use can prevent up to 70 percent of maternal deaths and reduce under-five mortality by 58 percent outcomes that directly affect labour force participation and long-term economic productivity.
Ghana’s maternal mortality rate, currently estimated at 310 deaths per 100,000 live births, remains above global targets, underscoring the cost of inefficiencies in the health supply chain.
The CSOs caution that persistent stock-outs could reverse gains made in family planning uptake, which has seen unmet need decline from 30 percent in 2014 to 23 percent in 2022.
Any reversal, they say, could undermine Ghana’s demographic dividend and slow economic growth.
They further warned that abortion-related complications, which account for 20.8 percent of pregnancy-related deaths, could rise, adding to the financial burden on an already stretched healthcare system.
“Every delay creates a predictable economic chain reaction higher health costs, reduced workforce productivity, and increased fiscal pressure,” Ms Ataah stressed.
The situation is further compounded by a decline in global donor funding for family planning, following the withdrawal of USAID support in 2025.
This shift places greater responsibility on Ghana to strengthen domestic financing and improve efficiency in public sector procurement and port clearance systems.
While some consignments valued at $1.6 million from the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) and UNFPA have been cleared after earlier interventions, three shipments remain stuck, raising concerns about systemic bottlenecks within revenue and port authorities.
Although the President has reportedly directed the Ministries of Health and Finance to resolve the issue, CSOs insist that delays in implementation reflect deeper institutional inefficiencies that could deter future donor support and investor confidence in Ghana’s health sector.
They are calling for immediate clearance of the commodities by the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Revenue Authority, alongside reforms in import classification procedures for essential health goods.
The group also urged the government to develop contingency financing mechanisms to prevent future supply disruptions, warning that bureaucratic inertia in critical sectors such as health carries both human and economic costs.
Beyond the immediate health risks, the CSOs argue that ensuring timely access to family planning commodities is central to Ghana’s broader economic agenda, including workforce planning, gender equality, and poverty reduction.
“This is not just a health issue it is a development and economic stability issue,” the group said, pledging to monitor government action and hold institutions accountable.
They called on the media, policymakers, and the private sector to treat the matter as a national priority, stressing that efficient health systems are foundational to sustainable economic growth.
