As part of efforts to identify, prioritize, and address the health needs of the country’s teaching and regional health facilities, the Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (Mahama Cares) has paid a working visit to health facilities in the Ashanti Region.
The hospitals visited by Madam Obuobia Darko-Opoku are the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and the Kumasi South Hospital, which also serves as the Ashanti Regional Hospital.
The visit aimed to provide a comprehensive picture of the state of the facilities in various hospitals across the country.
Madam Obuobia Darko-Opoku first visited the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, where she toured the Oncology, Radiology, ICU, and several other departments. It was discovered that several critical and essential diagnostic and treatment equipment are either obsolete, malfunctioning, or not available at all.
At the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, for example, the Medical Director, Dr. Kwadwo Sarbeng, in his briefing, enumerated a plethora of challenges facing the hospital, such as congestion due to the many referrals it has to take on.
He mentioned that due to the pressure on the machines in the facility, many have broken down and need to be repaired or replaced.
Dr. Sarbeng appealed to the government to expand and upgrade the equipment at the Endoscopy and Urology departments of the hospital, since those departments are no longer fit for purpose.
“Also, the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), as well as the Dialysis Centre, must be looked at. The hospital can boast of some of the very well-trained specialists, but unfortunately, there are close to no equipment to work with,” he said.
He is of the opinion that a national conversation on the retooling of teaching hospitals must happen urgently.
The Administrator of Mahama Cares, for her part, reaffirmed her outfit’s commitment to becoming a responsive support system focused on equipping health institutions with the tools needed to provide quality care for NCD patients.
She appealed to Corporate Ghana to support the Fund’s efforts in providing financial assistance for specialist treatment of chronic and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like cancer, cardiovascular disease, and kidney failure, addressing gaps in access to healthcare due to high costs.
The Fund also aims to build a more inclusive health system, invest in infrastructure, training, and research, and reduce the catastrophic financial burden on households affected by these illnesses.
Earlier, the Administrator and her team paid a courtesy call on the Mayor of Kumasi, Hon. Kwasi Ofori Agyemang Boadi, to formally introduce the Ghana Medical Trust Fund—a national health initiative.
Discussions cantered on the Fund’s vital role in tackling NCDs and the importance of strong partnerships with health institutions and local authorities.
Story By: Eric Boateng
