Ahead of the April 2026 rollout of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Cares, concerns have been raised about the preparedness of key public hospitals to support the programme.
Despite the large number of patients the hospital sees daily, Obuobia Opoku-Darko, the Fund’s administrator, has voiced surprise at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital’s absence of necessary diagnostic medical equipment. The Mahama Cares programme aims to provide financial support for the treatment of critical and chronic illnesses, with major public hospitals expected to play a central role in its implementation.
During an inspection tour of the hospital, Obuobia Opoku-Darko described the situation as worrying, particularly for a regional referral facility located in the nation’s capital. “I am surprised that almost a thousand people walk into this facility every day, yet it does not have a CT scan, MRI, fluoroscopy, mammogram machine, or even an X-ray. I am deeply saddened by this situation, and for us as a medical trust fund, it is a major concern,” she said.
She clarified that patients are frequently forced to seek tests at private clinics before returning to the hospital for additional care due to the lack of diagnostic equipment. “Anyone who walks in here and cannot get the required tests done is referred to a private facility outside to conduct the tests there and then return for follow-up care,” Darko-Opoku added.
The inspection forms part of a nationwide assessment of health facilities selected to benefit from the Mahama Cares programme, aimed at identifying equipment gaps and infrastructural needs ahead of its implementation. The Fund Administrator also appealed to Corporate Ghana to support public hospitals as part of their corporate social responsibility efforts.
“Healthcare must be looked at holistically and treated with urgency. Our hospitals urgently need support,” she stressed. Acting Medical Director of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Dr. Leslie Adam-Zakariah, assured that measures are being put in place to safeguard any new equipment the facility receives.
Authorities say findings from the ongoing assessments will guide resource allocation under the Mahama Cares programme to strengthen public hospitals and improve access to quality healthcare for patients across the country.
