The Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, has led a delegation to pay courtesy call on the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, to formally introduce the Fund to him.
It was also to seek his support in extending healthcare assistance to persons living with chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The Administrator of the Trust Fund, also known as MahamaCares, said it was important to pay its respect to the Ga Mantse, the custodian of the land on which the secretariat of the Trust Fund was located and seek his blessing, guidance and partnership to achieve its objectives.
The delegation presented cartons of bottled water, soft drinks and cash to support this year’s Homowo festivities, while wishing the Ga State a successful celebration.
MahamaCares
Speaking during the visit yesterday, Ms Darko-Opoku said the trust fund, also known as MahamaCares was mandated to provide financial assistance to persons living with NCDs, invest in critical medical equipment and healthcare infrastructure, support the training of specialist healthcare professionals and promote research and innovation to strengthen healthcare.
She said MahamaCares also formed part of a three-tier healthcare financing system that complemented the Free Primary Healthcare programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Ms Darko-Opoku explained that patients identified with chronic conditions would be assisted to register with the NHIS where necessary, to enable them to access services covered under the scheme.
She said the three levels were designed to work together, with Free Primary Healthcare providing the foundation, the NHIS serving as the middle tier and the trust fund providing support at the apex where conditions fell within the approved service package of the insurance scheme.
Cardiology centres
Ms Darko-Opoku said since the trust fund’s establishment a year ago it had, among others, refurbished the cardiology centre of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, with more than 20 patients already receiving treatment under MahamaCares.
Some of the items presented Pictures: EDNA SALVO KOTEY
She said the trust fund was constructing comprehensive cardiology centres at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi and the Tamale Teaching Hospital, with the facilities expected to be completed by November this year.
The Administrator of MahamaCares said the trust fund had also donated vital dialysis equipment to the Sunyani Teaching Hospital, the Holy Family Hospital in Techiman and the Volta Regional Hospital in Hohoe to improve access to treatment for chronic kidney disease patients.
Ms Darko-Opoku indicated that support from the trust fund was exclusively for Ghanaians who were active members of the NHIS and whose conditions fell within the approved service package, adding that medical treatment abroad was not covered by the initiative.
Traditional authorities
Ms Darko-Opoku said traditional authorities were important partners in achieving the objective of the trust fund since they were a close link between public institutions and the people.
She expressed the hope that, through the support of traditional authorities, communities within the Ga State would become ambassadors of the initiative.
Healthcare delivery
The Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, commended the trust fund for its efforts to strengthen healthcare, and urged the secretariat to sustain the efforts to ensure that healthcare remained a priority in the country’s national development.
He said his experiences visiting health facilities had revealed the challenges confronting the country’s healthcare system, and that he was engaging the government on plans to establish a 500-bed specialist children’s hospital in Accra.
“I have been a constant visitor to the Princess Marie Louise Children’s Hospital, and I have also been to pediatric intensive care units of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, and I did not smile,” he said.
However, the Ga Mantse called for stronger investment in medical research and post-surgery care to intensify ways of making healthcare services more complete and efficient.
“People have surgeries, specialist treatment, and some end up with post-surgery problems, and I believe it’s about time that we researched what will make our services complete and efficient,” he said.
