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Cut in USAID funding: Uncertainty, fear grip health workers, patients in N/R
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In the remote village of Karaga, a midwife at the local health centre is running out of options.
The centre, which serves hundreds of women and children, has been severely affected by the recent suspension of USAID funding.
Without essential medical supplies, Fati and her colleagues are compelled to take difficult, sometimes heartbreaking decisions.
“Just last week, we had to send a pregnant woman to another facility miles away because we didn’t have the right drugs to stabilise her condition,” she says with frustration in her voice. “We don’t know how long we can keep going like this,” she added.
Fati’s story is one of many unfolding across Northern Ghana, where USAID-funded programmes provide crucial support for maternal health, malaria treatment, family planning, and HIV/AIDS care.
The sudden funding halt announced last week has sparked widespread fear and uncertainty among health workers and residents, who now face the grim reality of a potential healthcare crisis.
Mohammed Karim, HIV patient and a father of five, worries about his life and that of his children.
“I am afraid in some few days to come, my health would deteriorate because without medicine, what are we supposed to do? We rely on the clinic, but now even the nurses are helpless,” he laments.
“Our lives will be miserable if no intervention is made. What are we going to do with all this stigma around us?” she asks with a chilly voice.
Health officials have warned that if no immediate action was taken, the suspension could lead to a surge in preventable deaths.
A Health worker (name withheld), describes the situation as dire.
“Many of our facilities are dependent on USAID-supported supplies. Without them, we will see increased maternal and infant mortality, more malaria cases, and disruptions in HIV/AIDS treatment,” he explained.
“As you can see, all these women are here for medication and other supplies for their children, but with the directive by President Donald Trump in stopping the distribution of medical supplies they are stranded,” he added.
The impact is already being felt. Health centres are reporting dwindling stocks of antimalarial drugs, contraceptives, and HIV test kits. Without urgent intervention, experts warn that years of progress in public health could be reversed.
In response, President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Ministry of Finance to explore ways to bridge the financial gap left by the USAID funding cut.
However, no clear timeline has been provided for when alternative funding might materialise. In the meantime, local health authorities and international organisations are scrambling to find emergency solutions.
For parents like Hajaratu, a mother of four, the situation is unbearable. “This is a matter of life and death. We need help now!” she pleads from the overcrowded health centre.
As uncertainty looms, communities across northern Ghana can only hope that aid arrives before the situation spirals out of control.
From: Geoffrey Buta, Karaga
The Hohoe Magistrate Court has sentenced Esther Ofori, a provision shop owner, for her refusal to participate in communal clean-up exercsie organised by the Hohoe Municipal Assembly on the National Sanitation Day.
Her refusal is contrary to section 21 subsection 4(i), (ii) and (v) of Hohoe Municipal Assembly bye-laws- 2018.
Ofori pleaded guilty and was sentenced on her own plea to a sum of GH₵240 and will serve one-month imprisonment if she defaults.
Mr Daniel Dotse Eklo, Environmental Health Analyst, prosecuting told the court, presided over by the relieving judge Mr Lambert Y. Keriba, that the convict on Thursday, July 2, 2026, refused to participate in communal clean up exercise organised by assembly on National Sanitation Day.
He said the assembly had set every first Thursday of each month as a communal clean-up day or National Sanitation Day between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. to improve sanitation in the Hohoe township.
Mr Eklo said during the exercise days, no business premises should operate between the hours except pharmaceutical or drug stores or others that offered emergency health or humanitarian services.
He said bar keepers, chop bar operators, market traders and shop, and storekeepers using their own resources should undertake cleaning of market and sheds, clean front of their shops and desilt drains during the clean-up period.
Mr Eklo revealed that on the said day at about 9:22 a.m., when the Municipal Sanitation Taskforce was going round to supervise communal clean-up at the Atabu area, they saw the accused who had opened her store and was selling to the public.
He said her refusal to participate was unlawful hence, was subsequently served with the court summons. –GNA
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Damba, one of Northern Ghana’s major traditional festivals, has once again brought chiefs, elders, families, young people and visitors together in a celebration of culture and tradition.
This year, the celebrations were observed across several communities in Yendi, Bimbilla, Kumbungu and Lamashegu and Tamale.
Although each community had its own character and way of celebrating, traditional music, dancing, colourful regalia and community participation remained common features.
In Yendi, the traditional capital of Dagbon, this year’s Damba was marked by the absence of the late Ya-Na Abukari Mahama II, who passed away earlier this year.
It was the first Damba in seven years to be celebrated in Yendi without the late King.
His absence was felt at the Gbewaa Palace, where the festival had been celebrated under his leadership in previous years.
The late Ya-Na’s eldest son, Kampakuya-Naa Yakubu Abukari, Regent of Dagbon, led the traditional observance during the transition period.
Despite the mixed emotions among celebrants, the sound of drums and traditional musical instruments soon drew crowds to the palace.
Within a short time, the palace grounds were filled with chiefs, elders, families, young people and children.
Children took part in traditional performances as drummers and musicians provided the rhythm for the celebration.
One of the notable scenes was the appearance of the “truck-pusher chief,” who arrived on a decorated truck accompanied by young followers.
His appearance became one of the memorable moments of the celebration and demonstrated the community character of the festival.
In Bimbilla, the traditional capital of the Nanung Traditional Area, Damba brought traditional authorities, elders, families and young people together.
The celebration was led by the Regent of the Nanumba Kingdom, Nyalinbolgu Naa Yakubu Andani Dasana.
The activities combined traditional celebration with community events, including a health walk and rice picking.
Traditional clothing, music and dancing formed part of the celebrations as different generations participated.
Children watched and joined activities, while young people used mobile phones and cameras to document the festival.
In Kumbungu, the Kumbungu Na, Naa Yab Kumbung Naa Yiri II, led the community’s Damba celebration.
Traditional clothing, drumming, dancing and communal gatherings formed part of the activities.
Elders and traditional authorities provided a link to the customs of the past, while young people and children participated in the celebrations.
For many residents, Damba remains an important occasion to reconnect with their cultural heritage and pass traditions on to the next generation.
In Lamashegu, within the Tamale metropolis, Damba was celebrated under the leadership of Lamashe-Naa Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu.
The celebration brought together traditional authorities, elders, families and residents.
Young people featured prominently in the activities, participating in traditional performances and documenting the occasion with mobile phones and cameras.
The celebrations reflected the ability of traditional culture to remain relevant within a rapidly changing urban environment.
Ending the day in Tamale captured moments thousands of people celebrating at the Tamale Jubilee Park with displays on horses which was one of the highlights of the celebration.
Truck pusher’s chief which is becoming a very important part of the celebration stole the show which attracted much attention.
The celebrations in the four communities demonstrated the diversity of Damba across Northern Ghana.
While the settings and expressions differed, the celebrations shared a common purpose bringing people together and keeping cultural traditions visible.
One of the clearest features of this year’s celebrations was the participation of children and young people.
They danced, watched traditional performances, joined community activities and documented the celebrations.
Their participation points to the important role of younger generations in sustaining Northern Ghana’s cultural heritage.
For many communities, Damba is therefore not simply an annual festival, but is an opportunity for cultural knowledge to be transferred from elders to young people through participation and observation.
It is also increasingly becoming a visual record, as photographers, journalists and young people use cameras and smartphones to document traditional ceremonies.
The festival continues to bring together traditional authority, families and different generations.
From Geoffrey Asiome Kwame Buta, Yendi
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