The Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Cares, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, has clarified that the Fund does not provide financial support for patients seeking medical treatment outside Ghana.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, May 11, Madam Darko-Opoku said the Fund has recently come under increasing pressure, with many individuals tagging the institution on social media while appealing for financial assistance to travel abroad for treatment.
According to her, although the Fund sympathizes with patients and their families, its operations are strictly guided by the law establishing the institution.
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“The Ghana Medical Trust Fund is mandated to support treatment for non-communicable diseases within Ghana, and not outside the country,” she stated.
She explained that the policy was designed to strengthen local healthcare delivery while ensuring that limited resources benefit a larger number of patients.
Madam Darko-Opoku stressed that sponsoring treatment abroad for a few individuals would significantly reduce the number of patients who could receive support locally.
“The intention is to make the Fund cost-effective so that more Ghanaians suffering from non-communicable diseases can access free treatment here in Ghana,” she explained.
She further noted that the Fund is focused on supporting healthcare systems and services within the country to improve access to treatment for patients battling chronic illnesses.
“If resources are spent on treatment abroad, the number of people we can support locally will be limited. We want to ensure that many more patients benefit from the Fund,” she added.
Madam Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku is Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as Mahama Cares.
