Civil society organisations (CSOs) are urging the government to urgently clear a shipment of essential family planning supplies stuck at Tema Port, warning that delays could lead to a nationwide shortage of contraceptives.
The consignment, worth about $500,000, was procured by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for the Ministry of Health but has been held at the port since August 2024.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, April 8, Henrietta Kaakyire Ataah, Advocacy and Youth Coordinator at Marie Stopes International, warned that the delay is already affecting contraceptive availability across the country.
She noted that national and regional medical stores are running low on supplies, putting women and girls at greater risk.
The shipment includes essential items such as pills, implants, injectables, and condoms, key tools for preventing unintended pregnancies and reducing unsafe abortions.
“There is over $500,000 worth of family planning commodities stuck at the Tema Port since August 2024. These are life-saving supplies for women and girls of reproductive age, and the delay is denying them access to reproductive choices while increasing the risk of teenage pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and unsafe abortions,” she said.
She further appealed to the government, particularly the Ministries of Health and Finance, to urgently intervene and facilitate the release of the items to avert a potential public health crisis.
“We are urging and pleading with the government, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Finance to expedite the clearance of these commodities,” she added.
