Ghana rejects health aid deal over data sharing concerns

Ghana has turned down a bilateral health agreement with the United States, citing objections to provisions that would require the sharing of sensitive health data, a source familiar with the negotiations told Reuters.

The decision marks the latest setback to the Trump administration’s push to restructure foreign aid under its “America First Global Health Strategy.” Similar data-sharing concerns previously derailed talks with Zimbabwe and prompted a Kenyan court to suspend implementation of its deal following a legal challenge by a consumer protection group.

According to the source, the proposed agreement would have provided $109 million in US health assistance over five years. It remains unclear what financial contribution Ghana would have been expected to make under the terms.

The two sides began negotiations last November. While initial discussions proceeded normally, the source said Washington increasingly applied pressure as talks advanced, culminating in an April 24 deadline to finalise the deal. Ghana ultimately decided it could not accept the proposed terms and has communicated its position to the US administration.

Neither Ghana’s foreign ministry nor government spokespeople responded to requests for comment. A US State Department spokesperson declined to disclose details of bilateral negotiations but stated: “We continue to look for ways to strengthen the bilateral partnership between our two countries.”

According to US government foreign assistance data, Washington disbursed $219 million in aid to Ghana for 2024, including $96 million specifically for health — before the Trump administration’s broader cuts to foreign aid. The US Agency for International Development was dismantled earlier this year.

The State Department spokesperson said that as of Monday, 32 deals had been signed under the new health strategy, representing $20.6 billion in total funding — $12.8 billion from the US and $7.8 billion in co-investment from recipient countries. Additional memoranda of understanding are expected in the near future.