Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Tuesday, November 25, Dr Afriyie outlined the extent of the impact, noting that the affected centres, Centres 4, 5 and 6 serve vast and vulnerable parts of the country.

He explained that Centre 4 is responsible for the Western North Region and parts of the Western, Central, Bono, Ashanti and Ahafo Regions. Centre 5, located in Anum, supplies “blood-related products, vaccines and emergency medical items” to the entire Volta Region, parts of the Eastern Region and the Afram Plains enclave. Centre 6, he added, serves the Oti Region and parts of the Savannah Region.

According to him, the closure of these facilities poses a direct threat to patients who depend on timely blood and emergency supplies.

“With the shutdown, it is most likely that in the next few days there will be many reported cases of death, more related to the lack of blood supply,” he warned.

Dr. Afriyie expressed empathy for Zipline staff who, he said, have been left frustrated and uninformed. He criticised the government’s failure to engage the company despite its crucial role in the health delivery chain.

“I think the government’s decision not to engage them is more of a political decision, and that is going to cost us a lot. Issues like this must not be politicised,” he stressed.