President John Dramani Mahama has called for a nationwide campaign to promote public awareness, household screening, and early detection in response to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Ghana.
Describing the issue as both personal and urgent, President Mahama emphasized that the need for action was critical. Speaking at the launch of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund in Accra on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, he shared how several members of his family, close friends, and political allies had succumbed to complications related to diabetes, cancer, and kidney failure.
“My father died from diabetes. My mother died in 2016 from the same condition, and my stepmother died of breast cancer,” he revealed.
“These are not just statistics. They are our loved ones, and we need to touch their lives through proper care and support.”
The former president also recounted the story of a long-time political supporter from Bole Bamboi who passed away after years of struggling to access dialysis treatment. The man had to regularly travel to Kumasi, the nearest center offering dialysis at the time, and eventually moved his entire family there to continue his treatment. Mr. Mahama explained that the cost of care put the family under immense financial strain.
“He sold all his assets to look after himself. When he passed, we had to step in to help his children finish school,” he said.
Mr. Mahama argued that such tragedies could be mitigated through preventive care and early intervention. He advocated for integrating the Ghana Medical Trust Fund with local-level health services to make screening and monitoring more accessible.
“We must link this program with our primary health care volunteers and designated community pharmacies so that wherever our citizens are, they can access basic checks,” Mr. Mahama urged.
“Occasional home visits by trained health volunteers to take blood pressure and sugar levels can go a long way.”
Additionally, he proposed a public education campaign to help Ghanaians understand the risk factors for non-communicable diseases.
“Many of these diseases are preventable and acquired through lifestyle,” he noted. “People need to understand the risks and take action early.”
President Mahama emphasized that the fund is not just a government initiative but a public intervention that could positively impact households across the country.
