The Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as the Mahama Cares Initiative, has announced a major investment of ₵36,234,475 to support the training of specialist health workers across the country.
The investment forms part of government’s broader plan to strengthen Ghana’s specialised healthcare system and improve access to quality treatment for patients suffering from chronic non-communicable diseases.
Speaking during the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency, the Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Ms. Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, said the initiative is focused on building specialist capacity to ensure that quality healthcare is not limited to Accra and Kumasi.
“The Ghana Medical Trust Fund has made a strategic investment of ₵36,234,475 into the specialist training programme as part of efforts to strengthen Ghana’s specialist healthcare workforce and improve equitable access to specialist care nationwide,” she stated.
According to her, the Fund has entered into strategic partnerships with the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons to expand specialist training centres and decentralise postgraduate medical education nationwide.
She added that similar collaborations have been established with the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives and the Ghana College of Pharmacists to train more professionals in critical health areas.
“We have also established collaborations to train 100 pharmacists and 100 nurse specialists in oncology, nephrology, cardiology, endocrinology and neurology,” she explained.
Ms. Darko-Opoku said the training programme is designed to benefit all regions of Ghana and ensure that specialist care is not a privilege reserved for only those living in major cities.
“These professionals being trained from all regions of Ghana will be required to serve in their local communities, ensuring that expertise is not a city-only privilege,” she added.
She stressed that the Mahama Cares initiative is not only about supporting patients financially but also about addressing the shortage of specialised doctors, nurses and allied health workers, which continues to affect healthcare delivery across the country.
Ms. Darko-Opoku noted that the Trust Fund remains committed to improving Ghana’s healthcare infrastructure, specialist workforce development, and medical research to enhance treatment outcomes and reduce the burden of chronic diseases nationwide.
She described the investment as a major step toward government’s vision of ensuring that no Ghanaian is denied life-saving specialised care because of financial hardship.
SOURCE: Mubarak Yakubu
