The Paramount Chief of Pulima and Gandawii Traditional Area, Kuoro Osman Deiwia Nankpa III, has expressed support for the Ghana Medical Trust Fund. He drew on his personal experience with the high cost of treating serious illnesses, having spent over GH¢60,000 on treatment for an acute kidney condition in 2008. This experience exposed him to the financial and emotional difficulties families face when confronted with life-threatening health conditions.
Kuoro Nankpa III described the Ghana Medical Trust Fund as a timely intervention that could prevent patients from being denied specialised medical care due to financial constraints. He made this statement during a stakeholder engagement and town hall meeting organised by the Fund as part of its regional sensitisation tour of the Upper West Region. The Chief called on residents, traditional authorities, corporate institutions, and other stakeholders to support the Fund's operations and long-term sustainability.
The Paramount Chief emphasised that serious illnesses can disrupt family livelihoods and financial stability. He stressed the importance of strengthening initiatives that ease the cost of accessing essential healthcare. Kuoro Nankpa III commended President John Dramani Mahama for establishing the Fund, describing it as a thoughtful health intervention with the potential to become one of the enduring legacies of his administration.
Kuoro Nankpa III also appealed for the deployment of heart surgeons to the Upper West Region to improve access to specialised treatment and reduce the need for patients to travel outside the region for advanced medical care. The Upper West Regional Minister, Charles Lwanga Puozuing, stated that the success of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund would depend on collective efforts to ensure that its support reaches the intended beneficiaries.
The Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, explained that the Fund was established to provide financial assistance to eligible patients living with non-communicable diseases. The Fund also aims to improve healthcare delivery through the provision of essential medical equipment to health facilities. She acknowledged the contribution of health professionals supporting the implementation of the Fund's programmes.
The Acting Medical Director of the Upper West Regional Hospital, Dr Philip Baabiineh, identified cardiovascular diseases, kidney conditions, and other non-communicable diseases as major causes of deaths in health facilities across the region. He pledged the hospital's commitment to helping eligible patients access support from the Fund and welcomed efforts to train more specialist healthcare professionals to strengthen service delivery.
The Upper West Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Josephat Ana-Imwine Nyuzaghl, called for a community-based approach to educating residents about the Fund. He proposed engaging Community Health Nurses to provide information at district and community levels, particularly in remote areas. Dr Nyuzaghl also called for improved diagnostic facilities at the Upper West Regional Hospital, including the provision of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine.
Key points
- The Pulima Chief spent GH¢60,000 on kidney treatment in 2008, highlighting the financial burden of serious illnesses.
- The Ghana Medical Trust Fund aims to provide financial assistance to patients with non-communicable diseases and improve healthcare delivery.
- The Fund's success depends on collective efforts to ensure support reaches intended beneficiaries.
