National House of Chiefs pledges nationwide support for MahamaCares

The National House of Chiefs has thrown its full support behind the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF), pledging to champion the initiative across the country and help ensure that more Ghanaians suffering from chronic diseases benefit from the life-saving intervention.

The endorsement, described as a major boost for the Trust Fund, is expected to significantly deepen public awareness and strengthen efforts to make quality healthcare more accessible and affordable for thousands of vulnerable Ghanaians.

The commitment was made when the Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, paid a courtesy call on the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi to seek the support of the country's revered traditional leadership in advancing the Trust Fund's mandate.

Addressing the chiefs, Darko-Opoku described traditional rulers as trusted custodians of Ghanaian communities whose influence would be instrumental in ensuring that every eligible Ghanaian becomes aware of the Trust Fund and accesses the financial support it offers.

She explained that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund was established by President John Dramani Mahama as a comprehensive national intervention to ease the financial burden faced by patients battling chronic non-communicable diseases such as cancer, kidney disease requiring dialysis, heart conditions and stroke.

According to her, the partnership with the National House of Chiefs is particularly significant because it also addresses a challenge many traditional leaders have quietly carried for years.

She noted that chiefs are regularly approached by community members seeking financial assistance to pay for expensive medical procedures, a responsibility that has placed enormous pressure on traditional authorities despite their willingness to help.

"The Ghana Medical Trust Fund provides a lasting national solution that complements the generosity of our chiefs. It means they will no longer have to shoulder this burden alone because there is now a national mechanism dedicated to supporting their people," she said.

Darko-Opoku stressed that while government has laid the foundation for the Trust Fund, its long-term success depends on strong partnerships with institutions that enjoy the confidence of the Ghanaian people.

She therefore appealed to chiefs across the country to use their platforms to educate their communities about the Fund, encourage eligible patients to apply for assistance and help dispel misinformation surrounding the initiative.

She also outlined the progress made by the Trust Fund, including nationwide health facility needs assessments, the development of a digital application and claims platform, beneficiary support systems and plans to establish three state-of-the-art cardiac catheterisation laboratories at Korle Bu, Komfo Anokye and Tamale Teaching Hospitals.

Responding on behalf of the traditional rulers, the President of the National House of Chiefs, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, assured the delegation of the unwavering commitment of chiefs to the success of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund.

He pledged that the National House of Chiefs would actively promote the Trust Fund throughout the country and educate people on the immense relief it promises to bring to families struggling to meet the high cost of specialised healthcare.

Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II further urged chiefs in the various Regional and Traditional Houses of Chiefs to organise similar engagements in their jurisdictions and become ambassadors of the Trust Fund within their communities.

He commended the leadership of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund for recognising the strategic role of traditional rulers in national development, expressing confidence that the partnership would help the initiative reach every corner of the country and transform countless lives.

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Frank Amoakohene, who accompanied the delegation, described the endorsement by the National House of Chiefs as a major milestone that would accelerate public acceptance of the Fund.

He said the influence of chiefs would encourage more Ghanaians to embrace the initiative and ensure that financial hardship no longer prevents people from accessing essential healthcare.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr Hafez Adam Taher expressed appreciation to the National House of Chiefs for embracing the initiative and committing to serve as advocates for the Fund.

He said the collaboration between government and traditional authorities would play a critical role in ensuring that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund fulfils its mission of restoring hope, saving lives and guaranteeing that no Ghanaian is denied treatment simply because they cannot afford it.]

Also accompanying the delegation was Bono East Regional Minister, Francis Owusu Antwi.

The endorsement by the National House of Chiefs marks one of the strongest institutional votes of confidence in the Ghana Medical Trust Fund since its establishment and reinforces growing national support for an initiative widely expected to transform access to specialised healthcare while easing the burden on families, communities and traditional leaders across Ghana.

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