Ghana News

Ghana has successfully completed its second Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of core capacities under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005), marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to enhance health security. This assessment, which took place from February 10 to 14, 2025, follows Ghana’s first JEE in 2017 and the subsequent implementation of the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) between 2019 and 2023.

From 4–6 August 2025, Ghana welcomed the highest leadership of the World Health Organization (WHO) for a series of strategic engagements aimed at strengthening health systems and advancing sustainable health financing in Africa.

When the world faces a health crisis, it is often the nurse or the midwife who stands first at the patient’s bedside, who hears the community’s fears, and who takes the first brave step into the unknown. Nurses and midwives are not only the backbone of Ghana’s health system; they are the steady hands and compassionate hearts that keep it alive during the toughest times.

The newly appointed Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Ghana, Dr. Fiona Braka, has today presented her letter of credence to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Honourable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, marking the official start of her tour of duty in Ghana. 

When Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, touched down in Ghana on May 3rd, it wasn’t just another high-level visit. It felt like the continuation of a long-standing partnership—one rooted in a shared mission: that every child, everywhere, deserves protection from vaccine-preventable diseases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) thrives on partnerships to transform health systems and deliver life-saving services. In Ghana, one such impactful alliance is with the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (UKFCDO). Together, we are charting a path toward universal health coverage (UHC), ensuring no one is left behind.

Diarrheal diseases remain a leading cause of illness and death among children age under five years in Ghana. Among the causes, rotavirus stands out as the most common agent for severe acute diarrhea. Before the introduction of vaccines in 2012, rotavirus accounted for nearly half of all diarrhea-related hospitalizations in children, severely impacting child survival rates, particularly in low-resource settings.

Ghana’s commitment to building a resilient, self-determined health system received renewed momentum following the visit of the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohammed Janabi, to the country during 26–27 January 2026.