By Hafsa Obeng, GNA
Accra, Aug. 27, GNA – The Navala Travel Health App, a technology platform connecting travellers to trusted healthcare providers and emergency services, has been launched in Accra in collaboration with the African Medical Tourism Council (AMTC).
The platform provides travellers with access to telemedicine, in-person medical evaluations, emergency coordination and other healthcare services while in Ghana.
It was on the theme, “Safe travels, healthy journeys: Seamless care, everywhere”.
Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, who launched the platform, said the initiative was timely and aligned with Ghana’s ambition to become a preferred destination for leisure, business, cultural and medical tourism.
She said travellers needed not only attractive destinations but also safety and confidence that their wellbeing would be protected.
“Navala Travel Health responds directly to this need by integrating technology, healthcare and tourism,” she said.
Madam Gomashie said Ghana recorded more than 1.3 million international tourist arrivals in 2025, with tourism contributing about US$4.34 billion to the economy.
She said tourism could not thrive without strong health systems because travellers were less likely to visit destinations where they were uncertain about access to healthcare.
“A traveller who feels safe stays longer. A traveller who feels supported returns. A traveller who trusts assistance becomes an ambassador for Ghana,” she said.
The Minister said the platform would bring together healthcare providers, tourism operators, hotels, airlines and emergency services into a coordinated ecosystem to strengthen Ghana’s readiness to host international visitors.
She also called on businesses to provide affordable accommodation for caregivers accompanying patients seeking medical treatment, particularly people from neighbouring countries who come to Ghana for specialised services such as oncology.
She noted that some caregivers were compelled to sleep in hospitals because they could not afford hotel accommodation for extended periods.
“By the time you have given care to someone who is unwell in your family for a month, two, three, you yourself start having health issues. Because you are not sleeping well, nobody is caring for the carer,” she said.
Madam Gomashie identified strengthening partnerships, building capacity and promoting safe travel as key priorities for the initiative.
Dr Fungisai Nato, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Navala Travel Health, said the company’s mission was captured in the theme, “Helping Other People Cross.”
He said Navala was recruiting nurses across Ghana, including Accra and Kumasi, to respond to travellers who required medical assistance and connect them to appropriately qualified doctors and healthcare facilities.
“It’s not about just technology. People going on apps, finding a doctor, doing telehealth, anybody can do that. What we want to do specifically is to make sure when travellers get sick, they can access the right people,” she said.
Dr Nato said Ghana had some of the best doctors in the world, but travellers often struggled to identify and access the right healthcare professionals.
Dr Koby Appiah-Sekyi, President of the African Medical Tourism Council said the partnership was important because healthcare and tourism were closely interconnected.
He said the AMTC, comprising 10 major hospitals in Ghana and expected to expand nationwide, was established to promote Ghana as a healthcare destination and facilitate access to quality medical services.
“Ghana has become the focal point of healthcare from the sub-region, adding that people from across West Africa already travelled to Ghana for healthcare.
Dr Appiah-Sekyi said while Navala would provide technology-enabled access to healthcare, the Council would focus on quality assurance by establishing minimum standards for participating facilities.
He said the partnership would ultimately help create a seamless healthcare experience for travellers and strengthen Ghana’s position as a medical tourism destination.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba
Reporter: Hafsa Obeng