By Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu, GNA
Bolgatanga, Oct. 23, GNA – Madam Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, the Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF), has urged traditional authorities, religious leaders, health professionals and the media to intensify public education on the Fund to ensure that eligible patients access support for specialized medical treatment.
She said no family should miss the opportunity to seek assistance simply because information about the Fund and its application processes had not reached them.
Addressing a regional stakeholder engagement and town hall meeting in Bolgatanga, Madam Darko-Opoku said the initiative was aimed at explaining the Fund’s mandate, help the public understand how to access support and gather feedback to improve its operations.
“No family should miss an opportunity to seek help simply because the right information never reached them,” she insisted.
The GMTF Administrator noted that serious illnesses often placed enormous financial and emotional burdens on families, which forced them to divert money meant for school fees and businesses to medical expenses.
The situation, Dr Darko-Opoku said, became more challenging when patients had to travel outside their communities for specialized treatment, incurring additional costs for transportation, accommodation, feeding and lost income.
“A referral should open a pathway to treatment. It should never become the point at which a family loses hope,” she further insisted.
Madam Darko-Opoku said the GMTF also known as ‘MahamaCares’, was established through the vision of President John Dramani Mahama to support eligible patients who required specialized treatment for chronic non-communicable diseases, while strengthening the health facilities providing such care.
The Fund operates through four pillars: financial assistance for eligible patients, medical equipment and infrastructure, specialist training and human capacity development, and research and innovation.
The Administrator said the Fund had begun implementing its mandate, including an initial pilot involving 50 patients nationwide to test its processes and support treatment delivery.
Equipment and infrastructure interventions included the restoration of the cardiac catheterization laboratory at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, support for dialysis and other critical equipment needs, and ongoing efforts to expand cardiovascular care at the Komfo Anokye and Tamale Teaching Hospitals.
Madam Darko-Opoku said strengthening specialized healthcare services in Tamale was particularly significant for patients referred from northern Ghana, including the Upper East Region.
However, she emphasized that improving access to specialized care required a functional referral system involving health facilities and professionals at all levels.
The Administrator called on traditional and religious leaders, local authorities and health professionals to help disseminate accurate information about the Fund, and urged the media, particularly those broadcasting in local languages, to make the information accessible to communities.
Madam Darko-Opoku further encouraged participants to ask questions, share their experiences and provide feedback to help the Fund identify barriers to access care.
She reaffirmed the Fund’s commitment to accountability, fairness and responsible use of resources, noting that public trust was essential to its effectiveness.
The stakeholder engagement formed part of the Fund’s nationwide engagement with communities and health institutions to improve public understanding of its mandate and facilitate access to support for eligible patients.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu
Reporter’s email: [email protected]