“Don’t let poverty decide who lives” – Ga Mantse demands fair healthcare

The Ga Mantse, His Royal Majesty King Nii Teiko Tsuru II, has called for a healthcare system that guarantees every Ghanaian access to treatment regardless of their financial circumstances, warning against a situation where poverty determines who lives or dies.

He also urged the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF) to consider strengthening maternal healthcare as part of efforts to improve access to essential medical services.

The Ga Mantse made the call when the GMTF Administrator, Obuobia Darko-Opoku, led a delegation to the Greater Accra Region as part of the Fund’s nationwide sensitisation tour.

Speaking during the engagement, Ms Darko-Opoku said families in the region continued to face significant financial difficulties in caring for relatives living with non-communicable diseases.

“Even here in Greater Accra, families go through enormous difficulties trying to care for relatives suffering from non-communicable diseases,” she said.

Her remarks underscored the financial pressure faced by households dealing with chronic illnesses and the need to improve access to healthcare for patients who struggle to afford treatment.

The Greater Accra Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Robert Amesiya, also urged Ghanaians to “jealously guard” the Fund, stressing the importance of protecting it as a resource for improving healthcare access.

Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, pledged the region’s support for the initiative.

The engagement forms part of the GMTF’s nationwide sensitisation efforts to raise awareness of its work and strengthen public support for initiatives aimed at easing the burden of healthcare costs on patients and their families.

EA