The Ga Mantse, King Nii Teiko Tsuru II, has urged that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF) be fully utilised to guarantee healthcare access regardless of a person’s ability to pay. Speaking during a meeting with the GMTF delegation on their nationwide sensitisation tour, he said no Ghanaian should be denied life-saving treatment because of poverty, especially as the rising cost of specialised care places severe financial burdens on families.
The GMTF, established to address gaps in healthcare delivery, supports medical equipment, infrastructure, and treatment costs for specialised care. King Nii Teiko Tsuru II described the Fund as a significant intervention for families struggling to afford specialised healthcare. He called on stakeholders to maximise the Fund’s potential and ensure vulnerable populations receive quality care.
“Even here in Greater Accra, families go through enormous difficulties trying to care for relatives suffering from non-communicable diseases,” said Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, the Fund’s Administrator. She emphasised that Greater Accra’s image as a region of opportunity should not overshadow the real struggles faced by many households.
Darko-Opoku explained that the Fund was created to fill critical healthcare delivery gaps and appealed to individuals, businesses, and corporate organisations in the region to back the Fund’s efforts to expand its reach and save more lives.
The Greater Accra Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Robert Amesiya, urged Ghanaians to “jealously guard” the Fund, calling it an opportunity to strengthen the health system and improve access to specialised healthcare. He stressed the importance of collective support to reach those otherwise unable to afford treatment.
Greater Accra Regional Minister Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo praised President John Dramani Mahama for establishing the Fund and welcomed the ongoing nationwide campaign to increase public awareness. She called for closer cooperation between the GMTF and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to avoid duplication and maximise resources. The Regional Coordinating Council pledged support to enhance collaboration across the Greater Accra region.
During the engagement, the Ga Mantse also suggested the Fund consider supporting maternal healthcare, which he said would complement its broader efforts to improve healthcare delivery.
The GMTF’s nationwide sensitisation tour aims to connect with communities, healthcare professionals, traditional authorities, and other stakeholders while rallying support for the Fund’s work. The campaign seeks to ensure that every Ghanaian understands what the Fund offers and how it can be accessed.
The Fund’s focus on specialised care comes as families across Ghana face rising costs for treatments related to non-communicable diseases, including cancer, kidney failure, and heart conditions. Such illnesses often require expensive interventions unavailable in standard healthcare coverage.
The call from the Ga Mantse and regional officials signals an ongoing push to embed the Fund’s support deeper into the healthcare system. Expanding access to specialised care has become a pressing issue as financial barriers continue to prevent many Ghanaians from receiving necessary treatment.
The Fund’s strategy to work closely with local authorities and communities reflects a recognition that public awareness and local collaboration are essential to its success. Greater Accra’s involvement in this campaign is critical given the region’s role as both a healthcare hub and a place where disparities in access remain pronounced.
The Ga Mantse’s appeal for broader use of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund arrives at a time when the cost of specialised healthcare is rising sharply, threatening to exclude the most vulnerable from life-saving treatment.
According to Joy Online.
