…Asogli Chiefs demand Transparency in Management of Healthcare Fund
The Asogli State has cautioned against the misuse of resources under the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF), popularly known as Mahama Cares, insisting that the initiative must serve patients in need of medical treatment rather than become a conduit for financial abuse.
Togbe Kasa III, speaking on behalf of the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, described the Fund as a laudable initiative capable of bridging gaps in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and improving access to specialised healthcare.
However, he warned that the Fund’s resources must be managed transparently and responsibly to ensure that the intended beneficiaries receive the support they need.
“The Fund should not be created for people to go and loot and share, but to take care of the healthcare needs of the population,” he said.
He made the remarks when the GMTF Administrator, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, paid a courtesy call on the chiefs of the Asogli State as part of the Fund’s Volta Regional sensitisation tour.
Togbe Kasa III commended the Administrator and her team for engaging traditional authorities in public education on the Fund’s mandate, describing the outreach as important to building public awareness and support.
He expressed optimism that Mahama Cares would complement the NHIS by expanding access to specialised medical services, particularly for patients who struggle to afford treatment for serious health conditions.
He said the Fund’s success should be measured by its ability to improve access to healthcare and ease the financial burden on families dealing with costly medical conditions.
PUBLIC EDUCATION CRUCIAL
Ms Darko-Opoku thanked the chiefs for receiving the delegation and emphasised the need to extend public education on the Fund’s operations to communities across the country.
She explained that the sensitisation campaign was designed to help Ghanaians understand the Fund’s purpose, the support available and the procedures eligible patients could follow to access its interventions.
According to her, public education must go beyond institutions and reach communities directly, especially people who may be unaware of the specialised healthcare assistance available to them.
She stressed that collaboration with traditional authorities and other community leaders was essential to ensuring that accurate information reached more people.
The courtesy call formed part of the GMTF’s Volta Regional sensitisation tour, which seeks to strengthen stakeholder collaboration and raise awareness of the Fund’s interventions.
The Ghana Medical Trust Fund was established to support the prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases, improve access to specialised medical care and strengthen the training of specialist health professionals.
The Asogli State’s warning places the emphasis on accountability as the Fund seeks to fulfil its healthcare mandate: resources intended to save lives must reach patients who need them.
