Ghana's first helium-free MRI centre opens at 37 Military Hospital in Public-Private Partnership
HealthTech Ghana Limited, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, has opened Ghana's first Philips BlueSeal 1.5T helium-free magnetic resonance imaging system at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, marking a significant expansion of diagnostic services under a public-private partnership arrangement.
The initiative, announced on Thursday, June 4, 2026, restores MRI services to the hospital after years of downtime and introduces a comprehensive diagnostics infrastructure that also includes computed tomography scanning, digital X-ray, mammography, ultrasound and a full range of laboratory and clinical diagnostic services.
To mark the official opening, MRI scans will be available free of charge to eligible patients for two weeks by appointment only, from June 8-20, 2026. To qualify, patients must be registered at 37 Military Hospital and present a completed doctor's request form requesting an MRI. The scan itself is provided at no cost, but a minimal fee applies for the MRI images reporting, which is a formal interpretation of results by a radiology consultant or specialist, ensuring every scan receives the full clinical attention it requires.
A self-sustaining model
According to the press release, the public-private partnership model is designed to address structural historical vulnerabilities such as equipment breakdowns, lack of maintenance and replacement pathways for expensive advanced equipment at public hospitals. Combining private sector investment with the institutional infrastructure of 37 Military Hospital creates a self-sustaining arrangement that does not depend on recurrent procurement cycles to remain operational.
The 37 Military Hospital project is the first in a planned national expansion of PPP-structured diagnostic facilities, with a long-term objective of ensuring that advanced medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics and dialysis treatment are available to Ghanaians regardless of income or geography.
Comprehensive diagnostic offering
The diagnostic offering extends beyond MRI to provide a breadth of clinical assessment under one roof. Twenty-four hour, seven-day-a-week CT scanning, digital X-ray, mammography and ultrasound services are available for patients requiring cross-sectional imaging of the brain, chest, abdomen and musculoskeletal structures, addressing conditions that range from stroke assessment and trauma evaluation to cancer staging.
Laboratory diagnostics covering haematology, biochemistry and pathology complete an integrated clinical environment designed to reduce the number of occasions on which a patient must attend multiple facilities before a diagnosis can be confirmed. The combined scope of services positions 37 Military Hospital as one of the most comprehensively equipped diagnostic centres currently accessible to the Ghanaian public.
Restoring trust in public healthcare
According to Mr Daniel Morkla, Chief Executive Officer of HealthTech Ghana Limited, the partnership fundamentally changes the diagnostic landscape for Ghanaians.
"For too long, a Ghanaian needing an MRI had to choose between paying thousands of cedis for a scan and in some cases travel a long distance to Accra or Kumasi for an MRI or simply going without. This partnership changes that," Mr Morkla said.
"The MRI is not only the headline, but the full diagnostic suite we have brought to 37 Military Hospital means that a patient can walk in and receive the kind of comprehensive assessment that was previously unavailable. We are not only reopening the MRI service after many years, but we are restoring trust in what public healthcare in Ghana can achieve."
The technology
The Philips BlueSeal MRI is Ghana's first 1.5T helium-free magnetic resonance imaging system. Unlike conventional MRI machines that require hundreds of litres of liquid helium for cooling, the helium-free technology significantly reduces operational costs and eliminates the risk of quench events that can render traditional MRI machines inoperable for weeks.
The diagnostic centre is now operational at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra. Patients requiring MRI scans are advised to register at the hospital and obtain a doctor's request form before booking an appointment for the free scan offer, which runs from 8th June to 20th June 2026.
