Mahama Reveals Why Ghana Rejected U.S. Health Compact Over Medical Records Concerns
Government says proposed replacement for parts of USAID health support contained conditions Cabinet considered unacceptable
By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi & Emmanuel Ayiku GhanaianNewsCanada | September 28, 2026
Ghana has rejected a proposed United States Health Compact after President John Dramani Mahama revealed that the agreement allegedly sought access to the country’s medical records and pathogen data in exchange for continued health support.
Speaking during A Conversation with President Mahama at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on September 25, 2026, the President said his government refused to sign the compact because several of its conditions were inconsistent with Ghana’s national interest.
According to Mahama, the proposal was introduced as a new framework to replace parts of the health assistance that had previously been provided through USAID following changes in U.S. foreign aid policy.
Why Ghana said no
The President stated that Cabinet unanimously rejected the agreement after reviewing its contents. He alleged that the compact required Ghana to:
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Share the country’s pathogen profile with the United States.
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Provide access to Ghana’s medical records.
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Commit counterpart funding from Ghana.
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Accept certain medical products without undergoing Ghana FDA inspection.
Mahama described the conditions as unacceptable and said the government informed the U.S. Ambassador that Ghana would not be signing the agreement.
“We rejected it in record time because those conditions were not in the interest of Ghana,” Mahama said during the discussion.
Background to the Health Compact
The proposed Health Compact emerged in April 2026 after the United States began restructuring aspects of its international health assistance. Ghana was among the countries invited to consider the new arrangement, but Cabinet declined the offer before the deadline.
The agreement has since become a major topic of public debate, with supporters praising the government’s stance on data sovereignty while critics have called for the full document to be published for independent scrutiny.
Opposition calls for transparency
The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has questioned the government’s account of the negotiations, urging officials to release the complete Health Compact so Ghanaians can verify the claims surrounding medical records and other conditions. The party argues that public access to the document is essential for transparency and informed national debate.
A debate beyond funding
The controversy has shifted the conversation beyond foreign aid to broader questions about health data privacy, national sovereignty, and the conditions attached to international development partnerships. While Ghana maintains that it will continue engaging global partners on healthcare, the government insists that any future agreement must respect the country’s laws and protect the personal medical information of its citizens.
