Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, has justified the government’s procurement of Sputnik-V vaccines despite cost concerns. He also explained that there is nothing wrong with government dealing with middlemen during times of emergency.
The government has come under condemnation for its decision to employ middlemen to get nearly three million Sputnik-V vaccinations at a cost of 19 dollars per dose rather than the usual market price of 10 dollars.
The minority group has also threatened to haul the Health Minister before Parliament to answer questions relating to the procurement.
MP for Juaboso and Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, had stated that action would be taken saying the Ministry’s justification to procure the vaccines at an above-market price is unacceptable and difficult to believe.
However, Mr. Agyeman-Manu, who was speaking publicly for the first time on the subject, said that Ghana was forced to purchase the vaccinations at an exorbitant price.
The Minister, speaking at the inauguration of the Pest and Vector Control Association of Ghana in Accra, said the acquisition was necessary owing to the second wave of COVID-19, which had already taken several lives.
“I felt obligated to investigate how we may achieve herd immunity. When we began searching for vaccines to acquire, we had no intention of using middlemen. We were examining what we would get from COVAX. We couldn’t have waited between March and August since we were in the second wave and dying at a higher rate than when the sickness was first discovered in 2020.”
“Simple economics will tell you that the market is the suppliers in terms of scarcity and not the customer, so he or she sets the price. I am taken aback. We all studied these things at O-level, so why should I be mocked?” he asked.
Since news of the procurement became public, there have been demands for Mr. Agyeman- Manu’s dismissal. One of those who are calling for dismissal of the Health Minister is a private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu. He alleged that the Minister acted imprudently in procuring the Sputnik V vaccine for the nationwide immunization exercise adding that the President owes it to a duty to fire him.
