Ghana has rejected a proposed bilateral health agreement with the United States after negotiations broke down over demands for access to sensitive national health data, according to a report by Reuters.
The deal formed part of Washington’s “America First Global Health Strategy,” a policy framework introduced under former President Donald Trump aimed at restructuring foreign aid and encouraging partner countries to take on greater responsibility for funding and managing disease control programmes such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and polio.
Negotiations, which began in November 2025, would have seen Ghana receive approximately $109 million in US health assistance over five years. However, talks stalled after Ghanaian officials raised objections to provisions requiring the sharing of sensitive health data, which they deemed unacceptable. A source familiar with the discussions noted that negotiations started routinely but became increasingly pressured as Washington pushed to meet an April 24 deadline for finalising the agreement.
The collapse of the talks represents a setback for the US effort to reshape global health partnerships. Similar challenges have emerged elsewhere, including stalled negotiations with Zimbabwe and a temporary suspension of a deal in Kenya following a court challenge by a consumer protection group.
Ghana has not officially commented on the matter, with both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and government spokespersons yet to respond to inquiries. Meanwhile, the US State Department stated that it does not disclose details of bilateral negotiations but reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ties with Ghana.
Despite the breakdown, the United States remains a major development partner. Official data shows that about $219 million in foreign assistance was disbursed to Ghana in 2024, including $96 million allocated to health programmes. Under the proposed deal, Ghana would have received $109 million over five years, though the extent of its financial obligations under the agreement remains unclear.
The development also comes amid broader changes to US foreign aid delivery, including the dismantling of USAID earlier this year as part of ongoing restructuring efforts. As of now, Washington says 32 agreements have been signed under the global health strategy, representing $20.6 billion in total funding, with further deals expected in the coming months.
