The Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as MahamaCares, has extended her gaps analysis tour of teaching and regional hospitals to the Western Region, specifically, the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital.
The visit forms part of her outfit’s ongoing efforts to assess the availability and condition of essential diagnostic and treatment equipment, including dialysis machines, CT scanners, mammogram units, and more.
It is also focused on reviewing the availability and distribution of critical medical specialists such as oncologists, nephrologists, and cardiologists, while identifying key training needs to strengthen healthcare capacity across the country.
Madam Obuobia Darko-Opoku is using the tour to assess service delivery gaps, as well as the financial burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) on hospitals and patients.
At the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, the Medical Director, Dr. Habib Ahmed, revealed that the hospital’s vision is to attain teaching hospital status by the end of 2025. However, ongoing redevelopment works have stalled, limiting the facility’s ability to operate at full capacity.
He noted that the hospital currently lacks critical medical equipment and is operating with only ten specialists and seven medical officers, with no cardiologist on staff.
“As we speak, nurses are managing the Dialysis Centre due to the non-availability of specialist doctors. The Oncology Department is struggling—there’s no radiotherapy unit—and a CT scanner is urgently needed to help manage the rising burden of cardiovascular diseases,” Dr. Habib Ahmed added.
A tour of some departments within the facility provided Madam Darko-Opoku and her team the opportunity to hold one-on-one conversations with various unit heads. These interactions offered firsthand insight into equipment deficits and operational challenges.
The Acting Registrar of the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA), Mr. Winfred Baah, who accompanied the Administrator on the tour, emphasised the urgent need to equip the hospital with modern medical equipment in order to deliver quality healthcare to the people who rely on the facility.
Story by: Eric Boateng
