Kumasi: The National House of Chiefs has pledged its support for the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Care, to intensify public health education. The group has committed to increasing the role of traditional leaders in promoting healthcare across the country. This initiative follows a courtesy call from the fund's administrators to the chiefs.
According to Ghana Web, the engagement, which took place at the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi, is part of efforts to ensure citizens have access to specialist medical care for non-communicable diseases not fully covered under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). The Administrator of the Fund, Madam Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, appealed to chiefs to lead public education in their communities, stating, "The success of Mahama Care does not depend on government alone. We need our chiefs to help communities understand the qualifications and requirements for accessing this initiative."
She emphasized that the initiative aims to create a healthier society by bridging gaps in specialist treatment and management of chronic conditions. Speaking on behalf of the chiefs, President of the National House of Chiefs, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, expressed gratitude for the collaboration. "We appreciate this engagement. I encourage all chiefs across the country to organise forums and sensitisation programmes through their sub-chiefs to increase awareness among their people," he stated.
The partnership is anticipated to leverage the influence of traditional authorities to improve the uptake and understanding of the Mahama Care programme at the grassroots level.