Ghana pulls out of US aid talks over data demand
Ghana has withdrawn from talks on a new United States health aid deal after objecting to US demands for access to sensitive personal health data. The move is a fresh setback for President Donald Trump’s push to link parts of US foreign aid to wider data sharing agreements with partner countries. According to a source familiar with the negotiations, the proposed bilateral agreement would have provided about 109 million dollars in US health assistance to Ghana over five years. In return, Ghana would have been required to grant the US extensive access to its national health data systems, including real time information on disease trends and other patient level records. The government of President John Dramani Mahama decided that the conditions posed serious risks to privacy and national security and could breach Ghana’s data protection and health laws. After months […]