The Ministry of Health has joined the Peace Corps, government officials, returned volunteers, host families and development partners to celebrate 65 years of partnership between Ghana and the United States, recognising the organisation’s contributions to healthcare, community development, education and agriculture since its establishment in Ghana in 1961.
Speaking at the anniversary celebration, the Deputy Minister for Health, Hon. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, noted that Ghana made history in 1961 as the first country to welcome Peace Corps volunteers following an initiative by U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
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According to the Deputy Minister, over the past 65 years, Peace Corps volunteers have worked alongside Ghanaian communities and local institutions to address locally identified needs, share expertise and strengthen community capacity.
She highlighted their contribution to public health, including Ghana’s fight against Guinea worm disease. Volunteers worked with health authorities and communities to support disease surveillance, case detection, safe water practices and public education, contributing to Ghana recording its last case in 2010 and subsequently being certified Guinea worm-free in 2015.
She said the volunteers had also supported programmes in water, sanitation and hygiene; maternal, newborn and child health; nutrition; adolescent health; disease prevention; and community health education.
She noted that the Ministry was developing a structured volunteer programme under the government’s Free Primary Healthcare agenda to enable qualified health professionals awaiting placement in the public health service to serve in underserved communities while receiving allowances.
The Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, also commended the Peace Corps for its contribution to Ghana’s development, particularly in education, where volunteers have supported STEM education, foundational literacy, inclusive education and the use of local languages.
The U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, Rolf Olson, disclosed that nearly 5,000 Peace Corps volunteers had served in Ghana since 1961, with 52 currently serving across the country.
He said the volunteers had worked across all 16 regions in agriculture, education and health. He added that since 2022, they had completed 102 water, sanitation and hygiene projects and supported the construction or upgrading of more than 20 health facilities, including clinics, CHPS compounds and maternity wards.
The Ministry of Health expressed appreciation to the Peace Corps for its longstanding contribution to Ghana’s development and looked forward to strengthening the partnership to improve community health and advance primary healthcare in the years ahead.
