Togbe Kasa III of the Asogli State has welcomed the work of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF) and called for its resources to be managed responsibly so that they reach Ghanaians who struggle to afford specialised medical treatment.
He spoke during a courtesy visit by the Fund’s Administrator, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, and her team. The visit is part of the Fund’s Volta Regional sensitisation tour, which engages traditional authorities and community leaders to bring the Fund’s mandate closer to the people.
Togbe Kasa III’s message was that healthcare resources must serve the people. He underscored the importance of ensuring that the Trust Fund reaches those who cannot afford specialised medical care, and he called for responsible management of its resources.
His remarks place responsibility for the Fund’s resources on those who manage them, and tie its success to the people it is meant to serve.
The courtesy call forms part of the Fund’s effort to strengthen stakeholder collaboration, and the traditional ruler welcomed the Fund’s work.
Ms. Darko-Opoku said it was important for the Fund to move beyond engagements with institutions and take its message directly to communities in the Volta Region. Her focus, she said, is on people who might not be aware of the specialised healthcare support available to them.
She said collaboration with traditional authorities and other community leaders is essential to expanding the Fund’s reach and ensuring that accurate information gets to those who need it most.
The Fund summed up its purpose in a single line.
The GMTF was established to support the prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases. It also seeks to improve access to specialised medical care and to strengthen the training of specialist health professionals.
Specialised care for chronic conditions is often costly, and the Fund is designed to ease that burden for eligible patients. The Fund’s work covers both the cost of care and the supply of trained specialists.
Through its regional engagements, the Fund aims to deepen public understanding of its mandate and to ensure that eligible patients are better informed about the support available. The Volta tour is meant to raise public awareness of its interventions across the Volta Region.
The Fund’s team also held a town hall in Ho, the regional capital, meeting traditional leaders, faith-based groups, health professionals, students and community members. The session explained what the Fund does, who qualifies and how to apply.
“No family should be crushed by the cost of chronic illness.”
Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF), Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku
The Fund asked participants to help it reach the families who need it by sharing the information with others.
A Lifeline for Families
The Chancellor of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Prof. Lydia Aziator, called the Fund a lifeline for families struggling with the cost of chronic illness. She urged women to see a doctor as soon as they notice unusual symptoms, and not to let stigma or fear keep them from treatment.
The Volta Regional Minister, Hon. James Gunu, called on Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), civil society and the media to carry the Fund’s message to every community. He asked health workers to help patients through the application process.
Mr. Gunu also stressed that transparency and accountability are key to keeping public trust in the Fund, and he pledged the support of the Regional Coordinating Council.
The emphasis on accountability matches the concern raised by Togbe Kasa III, who asked that the Fund’s resources be managed responsibly.
Equipment and Infrastructure
The Administrator told the town hall that financial support alone will not deliver care if facilities are not ready to provide it.
“Even if people receive financial support, it will come to nothing if the health facilities do not have the needed equipment and infrastructure.”
Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF), Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku
For that reason, the Fund is also working to strengthen Ho Teaching Hospital and UHAS, so that specialised care is available closer to home.
The Fund’s work in the Volta Region continues with a clear purpose: ensuring that more eligible patients understand the support available to them and can access the specialised care they need.
With traditional authorities, faith groups, health professionals and regional officials now engaged, the Fund will look to them to carry its message into communities, so that families who need support know that it exists and how to apply for it.
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