Ghana currently has only two functioning Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines in government health facilities, according to findings from a nationwide assessment by the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as MahamaCares.
The assessment revealed wider gaps in diagnostic and treatment capacity across the public health system, including just five mammogram machines, two radiotherapy machines, and only two cardiologists serving the entire northern part of the country.
As a result, the acquisition of additional MRI scanners has been identified as one of the immediate priorities of the fund under the MahamaCares initiative, according to its Administrator, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku.
She made the remarks on Monday, June 15, in Accra during a ceremony at the Office of the President, where a GH¢6.1 million cheque was presented to the fund.
Ms. Darko-Opoku said the assessment, conducted shortly after the establishment of the fund, exposed major weaknesses in Ghana’s capacity to diagnose and treat chronic non-communicable diseases.
“The needs assessment guided our four strategic pillars: patient support, infrastructure and equipment, workforce development, and medical research,” she said.
She explained that the findings have shaped the fund’s intervention strategy, including efforts to expand access to specialised equipment and improve specialist care nationwide. “Access to specialised healthcare should not depend on where you come from, your condition, or your income,” she added.
According to her, work has already begun on three cardiology centres at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, and Tamale Teaching Hospital. Dialysis machines and intensive care unit equipment are also being distributed to health facilities across the country.
Ms. Darko-Opoku said the fund aims to significantly increase the number of specialists in chronic disease care across all regions in the coming years. “Our vision is that within a few years, every region in Ghana will have at least 10 specialists to provide advanced care for people living with chronic diseases,” she said.
She further disclosed that a pilot phase of the programme had already funded surgeries and chemotherapy treatment for 50 patients, ahead of a wider rollout of patient support services in 29 hospitals this month. “These are not just medical successes; they are stories of restored hope,” she noted.
The GH¢6.1 million donation presented at the ceremony included President John Dramani Mahama’s six-month salary, one-month salary contributions from presidential appointees and staff, as well as deductions from officials who failed to meet asset declaration requirements.
Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Administration at the Office of the President, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, indicated that additional contributions are expected from appointees who are yet to comply with their declaration obligations.
She highlighted the rising burden of chronic diseases, citing a health facility that recorded 5,000 new diabetes referrals in the first half of 2025.
“These are not just statistics; they are our people, our families, our relatives,” she said.
Nana Oye Bampoe Addo added that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund will require about GH¢3 billion annually over its first three years of operation. Parliament has already approved GH¢2.9 billion for 2025 under the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Act, 2025 (Act 1144).
She appealed for continued support from individuals, corporate bodies and philanthropic organisations to sustain the MahamaCares initiative.
“We are making a passionate appeal for more donations to save more Ghanaian lives. We know you will hear us and contribute,” she said.
Ms. Darko-Opoku also urged collective action in the fight against chronic diseases, saying, “History will remember us for the lives we touched, not the positions we held.”