For more than 10 years, the SIKKENS National Health Insurance Foundation, instituted by Mr Kwame ofosu Bamfo, Managing Director of Sikkens Ghana and Alisa Hotels, has been the lifeline for thousands of vulnerable residents in the Kwahu Afram Plains North and South districts of the Eastern region.
Established with a mission to ensure that no one is denied access to health care due to financial hardship, the foundation continues to bridge critical gaps in healthcare delivery for the poor, the aged, and other disadvantaged groups.
In an interview with The Mirror in Accra on Wednesday, Mr Bamfo explained that he was raised in Tease on the Afram Plains even though he was born in Obomeng in the Eastern Region.
He said he chose to support development efforts in Tease as a way of giving back to a society where he had part of his schooling.
Working in close collaboration with the Afram Plains Development Organisation (APDO) he said his foundation had offered sustained and targeted support to communities that were historically underserved.
Its contributions have not only eased the financial burden of healthcare access but have also strengthened community health systems through education and facility support.
Access to health care for the vulnerable
Over the years, the foundation, he said had supported more than 15,500 vulnerable individuals and children by either registering or renewing their membership with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
In a region where poverty, geographic isolation, and limited infrastructure impede access to essential services, this intervention has been transformative.
He said many beneficiaries, particularly the elderly, single mothers, persons with disabilities and households with fragile incomes, have been able to seek health care without the fear of prohibitive costs.
Residents who previously delayed or avoided treatment due to financial constraints now confidently visit health facilities, leading to early treatment of illnesses and reduced mortality rates.
Support for Health Facilities
Mr Bamfo said health was very inportant to him and he was there happy to support individual health insurance registrations.
According to him , the foundation had extended its assistance to health facilities. The foundation , he said had provided mattresses for the newly constructed maternity block of the Amankwakrom Health Centre.
“This support has significantly enhanced maternal care, ensuring that expectant mothers receive attention in a safer and more comfortable environment.
Health officials at the centre acknowledge that the donation came at a critical time when the completion of the maternity block required essential furnishing to make it fully operational.
The foundation’s intervention has enhanced service delivery and contributed to safer deliveries and better maternal health outcomes’, he added.
The foundation also completed and furnished an abandoned bungalow at the Tease Health Centre at a cost of GH¢850,000. This has provided
accommodation for the resident medical officer and the matron, paving the way for improved service delivery, particularly for pregnant women.
Community Mobilisation and Hygiene Education
Mr Bamfo said recognising that health extends beyond hospital walls, the foundation had also prioritised community mobilisation and sensitisation to hygiene practices.
He said through educational campaigns, community meetings and collaboration with local leaders, residents had been taught proper sanitation, personal hygiene and disease-prevention methods.
These sensitisation efforts have contributed to improved household hygiene, a reduction in preventable diseases, and strengthened community responsibility for health management. This holistic approach reflects the foundation’s commitment not just to treatment, but also
to prevention, he added.
Other activities
He said that in conjunction with the Royal Club of Tease, the Foundation undertook a number of activities including drilling four boreholes at Tease to enhance access to safe water changing two KVIP latrines into water closets at Tease, and providing prosthetic legs to those who were amputated as a result of accidents at Tease and supported them with livelihood programmes.
