Accra, Ghana, October 23, 2026: The Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF), popularly known as Mahama Cares, is extending its regional sensitisation campaign to the Northern and Upper East regions as part of efforts to improve public understanding of its mandate and expand awareness of support available to patients with chronic illnesses.
The planned engagements follow earlier activities in the Western, Central, Greater Accra and Volta regions.
According to a report by Citi Newsroom published on October 21, 2026, the campaign is intended to promote early detection of chronic non-communicable diseases and improve access to specialised healthcare for patients across Ghana.
The engagements will educate residents and stakeholders about the Fund's interventions, eligibility requirements for patient support and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment, particularly for conditions such as cancer.
Campaign targets financial barriers to healthcare
The Fund is promoting its campaign under the message, “No family should be crushed by the cost of chronic illness.”
The message reflects a major challenge for patients and their families: the financial burden associated with diagnosing and treating long-term illnesses, particularly when specialised services are difficult to access or expensive.
The planned regional engagements are expected to bring together regional authorities, traditional leaders, health professionals, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to discuss barriers to healthcare and identify practical ways to improve specialised medical services.
Issues expected to receive attention include shortages of medical equipment, limited diagnostic services, inadequate specialist care and financial barriers that can prevent patients from obtaining treatment.
The campaign also aims to explain how eligible patients can apply for support from the Fund, helping communities understand the assistance available and the requirements they must meet.
Obuobia Darko-Opoku expected to lead stakeholder engagement
The Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Obuobia Darko-Opoku, is expected to emphasise collaboration among government agencies, health institutions, local authorities and development partners.
Such collaboration is important to addressing the different challenges patients face, from identifying illnesses early to securing appropriate treatment and managing the cost of care.
Extending the campaign to the Northern and Upper East regions also provides an opportunity to engage communities outside the regions covered by the earlier sensitisation activities.
However, public awareness alone cannot guarantee access to treatment. Patients must also be able to navigate eligibility requirements, access diagnostic services and obtain the specialised care they need.
What the campaign means for patients
For people living with chronic illnesses, early diagnosis and timely treatment can be critical to managing their conditions. Financial constraints, limited diagnostic facilities and shortages of specialist services can complicate that process.
The Fund's regional campaign is intended to improve awareness of available interventions and strengthen engagement with stakeholders who can help address these challenges.
Its practical impact will depend partly on whether eligible patients can access the support explained during the engagements and whether the healthcare system has the capacity to respond to their needs.
The extension of the campaign forms part of the Fund's broader effort to promote a more accessible and responsive specialised healthcare system as it reflects on its first year of operations.
