Concerns raised over readiness of public hospitals ahead of Mahama Cares rollout

As the April 2026 rollout of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Cares, approaches, concerns are emerging about the preparedness of key public hospitals to effectively support the programme.

Administrator of the Fund, Obuobia Opoku-Darko, has expressed shock over the absence of basic diagnostic medical equipment at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, despite the facility attending to a large number of patients daily.

The Mahama Cares programme is designed to provide financial support for the treatment of critical and chronic illnesses, with major public hospitals expected to play a pivotal role in its implementation.

During an inspection tour of the hospital, Opoku-Darko described the situation as troubling, particularly given the hospital’s status as a regional referral facility located in the nation’s capital.

“I am surprised that nearly a thousand people visit this facility every day, yet it lacks a CT scan, MRI, fluoroscopy unit, mammogram machine, and even an X-ray. This is deeply concerning, and for us as a medical trust fund, it raises serious issues,” she stated.

She explained that the lack of diagnostic equipment often compels patients to seek medical tests at private facilities before returning to the hospital for further treatment.

“Patients who are unable to access the required tests here are referred to private facilities outside, where they conduct the tests and then return for follow-up care,” she added.

The inspection forms part of a nationwide assessment of health facilities earmarked to benefit from the Mahama Cares programme, aimed at identifying equipment shortfalls and infrastructural needs ahead of its implementation.

Opoku-Darko also appealed to Corporate Ghana to support public hospitals through their corporate social responsibility initiatives.

“Healthcare must be approached holistically and treated with urgency. Our hospitals are in dire need of support,” she stressed.

Meanwhile, Acting Medical Director of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Dr Leslie Adam-Zakariah, assured that measures are being put in place to adequately secure and maintain any new equipment the facility receives.

Authorities say findings from the ongoing assessments will inform resource allocation under the Mahama Cares programme, with the goal of strengthening public hospitals and improving access to quality healthcare nationwide.