Ghana Ends $109M US Health Aid Talks Over Data Demands

Ghana has ended negotiations with the United States for a five-year health aid package worth $109 million after rejecting demands for access to citizens' personal and health data, according to a source familiar with the talks.

The discussions, which began last November, collapsed in late April when Ghana's negotiating team, including health officials, refused to share sensitive information. The source described the U.S. side as applying intense pressure, including a deadline of April 24, after Ghana raised concerns over data sovereignty and privacy. "The deal is dead," the source said.

The proposed funding aimed to combat infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, with some indications it could extend to polio. It formed part of broader U.S. efforts to restructure foreign assistance following the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development earlier this year and reduced reliance on nongovernmental organizations.

Under the Trump administration's America First Global Health Strategy, announced last September, Washington has pursued new bilateral agreements across Africa that emphasize greater self-reliance by recipient countries. The...