My kidney cost me GH¢60,000 – Pulima Chief backs GMTF, demands heart surgeons
The Paramount Chief of the Pulima and Gandawii Traditional Area, Kuoro Osman Deiwia Nankpa III, has thrown his support behind the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF), recalling how he spent more than GH¢60,000 treating a kidney condition in 2008.
The traditional ruler said his personal experience had exposed him to the enormous financial burden of accessing specialised healthcare and the difficulties families face when confronted with life-threatening illnesses.
Speaking at a stakeholder engagement and town hall meeting organised by the Ghana Medical Trust Fund in the Upper West Region, Kuoro Nankpa III described the initiative as a potentially life-saving intervention that could prevent families from being pushed into financial hardship while seeking medical care.
He urged Ghanaians, traditional authorities, businesses and other stakeholders to support the Fund to ensure its long-term sustainability.
According to the chief, serious health conditions can quickly drain household resources, disrupt livelihoods and leave families struggling to meet the cost of treatment.
He commended President John Dramani Mahama for establishing the Fund, describing it as a timely intervention that could become one of the enduring legacies of his administration.
Beyond his endorsement, Kuoro Nankpa III called for the deployment of heart surgeons to the Upper West Region to improve access to specialised medical services and reduce the difficulties patients face travelling outside the region for advanced treatment.
The Upper West Regional Minister, Charles Lwanga Puozuing, also pledged the Regional Coordinating Council's support for the initiative.
He said the success of the Fund would depend on collective efforts to ensure that people who need assistance are informed about its services and can access the available support.
Mr Puozuing further urged the media to intensify public education and address misconceptions surrounding the Fund's operations.
The Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, explained that the initiative was established to provide financial assistance to eligible patients living with chronic non-communicable diseases.
She also outlined efforts to improve healthcare delivery through investments in essential medical equipment and support for health facilities.
The Acting Medical Director of the Upper West Regional Hospital, Dr Philip Baabiineh, identified cardiovascular diseases, kidney conditions and other non-communicable diseases as major causes of deaths at health facilities in the region.
He pledged the hospital's commitment to helping eligible patients access assistance under the Fund and welcomed initiatives to train more specialist healthcare professionals.
The Upper West Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Josephat Ana-Imwine Nyuzaghl, called for a community-based public education campaign to ensure residents, particularly those in remote communities, understand how to access the intervention.
He proposed the involvement of Community Health Nurses in educating residents at the district and community levels.
Dr Nyuzaghl also called for improved diagnostic equipment at the Upper West Regional Hospital, including a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine, to strengthen the region's capacity to diagnose and manage complex medical conditions.
He assured the Fund of the Ghana Health Service's continued collaboration in achieving its objectives.
The engagement formed part of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund's regional sensitisation activities aimed at educating the public about its mandate, expanding stakeholder support and identifying gaps in specialised healthcare delivery.
EA
Source: www.ghanaweb.com« Previous |
Next »