Nearly $10 million worth of United States-funded contraceptives, initially destined for vulnerable populations, are now slated for incineration in France. This is not just a matter of discarded medical supplies; it’s a profound human tragedy. The decision stems from President Donald Trump’s freeze on U.S. foreign aid. It also follows the subsequent dismantling of USAID – the United States Agency for International Development, a key partner that has long supported Ghana’s development, especially in health. These actions disregard desperate pleas from the United Nations and various family planning organizations. For countries like Ghana, where access to contraceptives remains a critical challenge, this act of destruction represents a burning of hope. It is a tangible loss for numerous women and families.
The Ideological Firestorm
The rationale behind this drastic measure, as reported, points to an ideological stand. The supplies are reportedly due to expire between April 2027 and September 2031. That’s according to Reuters, citing an internal document listing the warehouse stocks and verified by three sources.
The Trump administration allegedly fears the contraceptives might end up with organizations linked to abortion services, violating newly implemented funding rules. This fear, however, eclipses the humanitarian imperative. It transforms essential medical supplies into ideological pawns. The U.S. government will even incur a $160,000 cost to incinerate these vital supplies. This sum is a fraction of the value of the contraceptives themselves, highlighting the alarming priorities at play. It’s a costly destruction, both in monetary terms and, more importantly, in human potential. This move signals a troubling shift in global health diplomacy. It places political agendas above the tangible needs of millions.
This policy is often referred to as the “Global Gag Rule” (or Mexico City Policy), which prohibits foreign NGOs that receive U.S. family planning funds from providing abortion services, counseling, or referrals, or from advocating for abortion. The incineration of these contraceptives takes the policy a step further by destroying even commodities, rather than just cutting funding.
U.S. Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a prominent voice in the American legislature, said “There is no reasonable explanation that I can say to my constituents is the reason the United States and the Trump Administration is burning up over $10 million.”
Sarah Shaw, an advocacy director at MSI Reproductive Choices, a leading global reproductive health organization, further highlighted the perceived intent: “This is clearly not about saving money. It feels more like an ideological assault on reproductive rights.”
Why This Hurts Us, Ghanaians
Salamatu is a 28-year-old seamstress from Tamale. She has four children and wants to invest in their education. She wants to expand her small business, and ensure they all have enough to eat. Salamatu understands that responsible family planning is her pathway to achieving these dreams. Her story resonates with many Ghanaian women striving for a better life for their families. Salamatu’s ability to plan her family depends on a reliable supply chain for contraception. This is where the impact of incinerated aid becomes acutely real.
Ghana relies on foreign aid, including from the United States, for its contraceptive supply. Historically, USAID has been a significant provider of family planning commodities and technical assistance to Ghana. A historical analysis of Ghana’s National Family Planning Programme was published by Cambridge University in 2019. It explicitly states that “the very objects that were crucial for any kind of family planning – contraceptives themselves – were almost all provided by international agencies.” It specifically highlights that “a grant from USAID met ‘all commodity requirements’ for the first three years” of the national program.
This reliance means that cuts or destruction of these supplies create immediate and tangible shortages across Ghana’s health system. USAID’s support has been instrumental across the country’s health, education, and agricultural sectors, providing over $45 million recently to improve maternal and child health alone.
Ghana has made strides in reproductive health. Yet significant challenges persist. The unmet need for contraception among married women aged 15-49 in Ghana was estimated at 26.3% in 2017. The contraceptive prevalence rate was 30.8% in the same year. This still leaves a substantial gap. According to the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) 2014, only 22% of married women aged 15-49 used any modern contraceptive method. While the 2017 figure showed some progress, it underscores that Ghana is still far from achieving its family planning goals, and external support remains crucial.
Fear of infertility, cultural norms, and even misconceptions about modern methods create additional barriers. A recent 2025 study published in BMC Public Health noted that while the demand for family planning satisfied by modern methods in Ghana rose to nearly 50% by 2022, significant unmet need persists, particularly among married or cohabiting women.”
For Ghanaians, this means frequent stockouts at local clinics, especially in rural areas, where access is already tenuous. “Just last month, we had to turn away nearly 20 women who came for their Depo-Provera injection because we ran out,” said Emefa, a nurse at a CHPS compound in the Volta Region. “They travel far, spend their meager transport fare, only to be told ‘nothing is available.’ It breaks our hearts.” This direct impact on the supply chain affects the most vulnerable.
A 2024 report on Ghana’s contraceptive supply chain challenges highlights that “insufficient or incorrect data sends wrong messages through the supply chain and can lead to stockouts, overstocks, expired products, and, ultimately, women whose contraceptive needs are not met.” The destruction of these readily available contraceptives adds an artificial bottleneck. It further cripples an already strained system.
The cost, even subsidized, can be prohibitive for many. While Ghana’s National Health Insurance Program began including free long-term contraception in 2022, many women still face indirect costs.
Accessing contraceptive services in Ghana carries hidden costs beyond the price of the commodity itself. A 2025 study on household costs revealed that while the direct medical cost for a contraceptive might average GH₵ 6.30 (US$0.42), indirect costs can accumulate significantly. These include expenses like transportation (averaging GH₵ 9.60 (US$0.64)) and the loss of income due to time spent traveling and waiting for services. Such costs become a major financial hurdle for many, especially given the low daily minimum wage in Ghana. The minimum wage in Ghana is currently GH₵ 18.15 (approximately US$1.21) per day, making these indirect costs a substantial barrier for low-income individuals.
The incinerated contraceptives include implants and pills. These methods are highly sought after in settings like Ghana. They are effective and easy to use. A single contraceptive implant, such as Nexplanon, can cost hundreds of dollars in the U.S. market. However, reduced commodity costs for developing countries have brought prices down to around GH₵ 88.49 (US$8.50) per unit for some types like Jadelle. Even at these reduced prices, a nearly GH₵ 104.1 million (US$10 million) consignment represents hundreds of thousands of individual contraceptive units. Each unit, if it had reached a woman like Akua, could have empowered her to plan her family. It could have allowed her to pursue economic opportunities. It could have ensured better health outcomes for herself and her children.
The destruction of these supplies means that a clinic in Accra might face another month of empty shelves. A woman in Kumasi might resort to unsafe practices due to lack of options. This is a crucial point for all Ghanaians: unintended pregnancies often lead to unsafe abortions, which are a leading cause of maternal death in Ghana. The Guttmacher Institute reported that in 2017, complications from unsafe abortions contributed substantially to Ghana’s high maternal death. It was estimated at 310 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that unsafe abortions cause 8% of all maternal deaths globally. In Ghana, this figure is likely higher given the prevalence of illegal abortions, directly linked to a lack of contraceptive access and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education.
Alarmingly, an estimated 71% of all abortions in Ghana in 2017 were illegal. This underscores the desperate choices women are forced to make when safe, legal options (including contraception) are unavailable. Every contraceptive burned is a potential life-saving intervention denied.
Dr. Patience Sowah, a gynaecologist at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, stated in a recent medical conference, “We see the consequences of unmet contraceptive needs every day. The complications from backstreet abortions are devastating, and they are entirely preventable if women have access to family planning.”
In addition to individual health, this impacts our collective future. Fewer children in poverty. More girls are staying in school. Healthier mothers raising stronger families. This isn’t just about birth control; it’s about national development, economic empowerment, and the well-being of every Ghanaian household. Dr. Gifty Addico, a leading advocate for women’s health in Ghana, powerfully recently said “When you deny a woman the power to decide her own body and her own family, you deny her agency, and you stunt the progress of our entire nation.” This aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages, with family planning being a critical component. Denying access to contraception directly undermines Ghana’s ability to achieve this vital global goal.
The Echo of Missed Opportunities
Organizations like Doctors Without Borders have condemned the U.S. plan. They emphasize that “access to contraception is crucial to women and girls’ health, autonomy, and self-determination.” They rightly point out that these contraceptives “had an intended destination.” Sarah Shaw revealed that her group even offered to repack and ship the contraceptives. This offer was rejected because the U.S. government would only sell them at full market value. “This is clearly not about saving money. It feels more like an ideological assault on reproductive rights,” she stated.
This situation goes beyond an economic waste . It is a reminder of how political decisions, made thousands of miles away, can have devastating effects on the lives of ordinary people in developing nations. The legislative efforts by U.S. lawmakers to prevent this destruction, though laudable, face an uphill battle against the clock. The incineration of these vital supplies is a tragic indication of a policy that prioritizes abstract ideology over concrete human needs. It is a loss to global health. It is a blow to women’s empowerment. It is a painful missed opportunity for countries like Ghana striving for a healthier future. For every Ghanaian, this is a call to reflect on how global politics can directly shape our personal realities, and why advocating for our fundamental rights to health and choice has never been more urgent.
Written By: Nana Karikari, Senior Global Affairs Correspondent
3 Responses
This is very informative, good to know.
Definitely a costly destruction, the U.S. government could have considered other options instead of wasting such valuable reproductive resource.
Insightful article!
How do we VOICE up to stop incineration.