MahamaCares invests GH¢36.2m in specialist healthcare training
The Ghana Medical Trust Fund has disbursed GH¢36,234,475 to three health professional institutions to strengthen specialist healthcare delivery across the country.
The beneficiary insritutions are the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Ghana College of Pharmacists, and the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives.
The disbursement followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the the trust fund, otherwise known as MahamaCares, and the beneficiary institutions at a ceremony in Accra last Wednesday.
Under the agreement, the College of Physicians and Surgeons received GH¢20.18 million, the College of Pharmacists received GH¢9.486 million, while the College of Nurses and Midwives was allocated GH¢6,568,274.
The funding is expected to support the training of about 2,000 doctors, 100 pharmacists, and 100 nurses and midwives in critical areas such as oncology, cardiology, nephrology, neurology, endocrinology, and critical care.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Administrator of the Trust Fund, Obuobia Darko-Opoku, said the partnership was aimed at strengthening human resource capacity in the health sector and improving access to specialist care, particularly for patients with chronic and complex conditions.
She explained that the funding arrangement was for a three-year period, with resources provided upfront to ensure continuity in training and to eliminate disruptions that could affect outcomes.
She said it was also designed to decentralise specialist training by allowing health professionals to remain in their respective facilities while undergoing training, instead of relocating.
“This approach ensures that healthcare facilities do not lose critical personnel during the training period, while at the same time building specialist capacity across the country,” she said.
Obuobia Darko- Opoku (4th from right), Administrator of GMTF, and Yvonne Yirenkyiwaa Esseku (4th from left), Rector of the Ghana College of Pharmacists, after signing the MoU. Picture: ESTHER ADJORKOR ADJEI
Ms Darko-Opoku further stated that the funding model was developed through extensive consultations with the beneficiary institutions, which submitted detailed proposals outlining trainee numbers, regional distribution, and cost implications, to ensure equitable access and nationwide impact.
Accountability
To promote transparency and accountability, she said the partnership required regular reporting on programme implementation, including data on beneficiaries and their originating facilities, while beneficiaries would also be bonded to return to their institutions after training to serve for a minimum agreed period.
“This is essential to ensure that the investment translates into improved service delivery across the country. It is a structured and accountable partnership with clearly defined deliverables and expectations,” the trust fund administrator stated.
She commended the leadership of the three colleges for their dedication to training specialised health professionals, and expressed confidence that the collaboration would yield measurable improvements in healthcare delivery.
The Rector of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, Professor Richard M. K. Adanu, described the partnership as a major boost to the college’s vision of expanding specialist training.
He said such training, which has traditionally been concentrated in Accra and Kumasi, would now be extended to underserved regions such as the Upper East and Upper West regions.
Prof. Adanu added that the funding would also strengthen training in facilities such as the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua, the Holy Family Hospital in Techiman, and the Western Regional Hospital in Sekondi.
He further indicated that the support would enhance research capacity by funding both basic and advanced research methods courses for over 2,000 doctors in training.
Prof. Adanu said specialties such as cardiology, endocrinology, and nephrology would particularly benefit, as they were central to addressing the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
He assured stakeholders that the college would deliver on its mandate and ensure that all trainees benefitted from the initiative.
Similarly, the Rector of the Ghana College of Pharmacists, Dr Yvonne Yirenkyiwaa Esseku, expressed appreciation for the partnership, stating that it reiterated the important role pharmacists played in healthcare delivery, particularly in managing non-communicable diseases.
She pledged the college’s commitment to meeting and exceeding expectations by strengthening the capacity of pharmacists to contribute effectively to national health outcomes.
The Vice-Rector of the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, Amos Otuah, also welcomed the support, describing it as timely and impactful.
He reaffirmed the college’s commitment to utilising the resources efficiently to enhance specialist nursing training and improve patient care.
