The Data Protection Commission (DPC) says Ghana rejected a proposed $300 million health agreement with the United States due to serious legal and data protection concerns.
Executive Director Dr Arnold Kavaarpuo said a technical review found the deal breached the Data Protection Act, particularly on informed consent and data minimality.
He warned the agreement could have exposed sensitive national data to long-term risks, including the potential use of DNA information by foreign pharmaceutical companies through artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Dr Kavaarpuo stressed that Africa’s data especially from its youthful population is a valuable resource that must be protected.
“When such data is transferred to jurisdictions we do not control, there is a risk that core DNA markers of our population end up in foreign hands,” he cautioned.
The proposed deal was linked to the America First Global Health Strategy, introduced under former President Donald Trump to reshape foreign aid and encourage countries to take greater responsibility for disease control programmes.
According to a Reuters report, negotiations began in November 2025 and included plans for about $109 million in US health support to Ghana over five years.
However, talks broke down after Ghana objected to provisions requiring the sharing of sensitive health data, which authorities deemed unacceptable.
