Photo credit: DW
Ghana rejected a proposed health deal with the United States over concerns about data privacy and is now seeking a new agreement, an official said Friday.
The Associated Press reports that the country would be the latest African country to reject the deal over a similar concern.
The deal included provisions that would have allowed US entities access to Ghana’s sensitive health data without necessary safeguards, according to Arnold Kavaarpuo, executive director of Ghana’s Data Protection Commission.
The scope of the data access that was requested under the deal “went far beyond what would typically be required,” Kavaarpuo said.
A US State Department spokesperson said the department does not disclose details of bilateral negotiations. “We continue to look for ways to strengthen the bilateral partnership between our two countries,” the spokesman added.
Under the Trump administration’s “America First” approach to global health funding, the US has struck such health deals with more than 30 countries, most of them in Africa. he new approach that kicked off late last year replaces previous health agreements under the now-dismantled United States Agency for International Development.
The deals offer hundreds of millions of dollars in US funding to some African countries worst hit by the US aid cuts to support their public health systems and help fight disease outbreaks.
The agreements, however, have raised questions about data privacy concerns. In February, authorities in Zimbabwe said they rejected the proposed deal over issues around health data, fairness and sovereignty. Zambia is also reported to have pushed back on a section of this deal, although no decision has been made there.
Activists in Africa say the agreements often lack adequate safeguards for the use of data and are sometimes limiting in whio is being helped – such as in Nigeria, where the US committed to support mainly the Christian faith-based healthcare providers.
