Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF), Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, has appealed to Corporate Ghana and individual citizens to help retool the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital) to save lives.

Following a needs-assessment tour conducted ahead of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund’s official rollout in April, the GMTF boss discovered that the facility lacks fundamental tools required for timely and accurate diagnosis of non-communicable diseases, trauma cases, obstetric emergencies, and other complex medical conditions.”

"Ridge Hospital is one of Ghana’s major referral centres, serving nearly 1,000 patients every single day. Yet, despite the overwhelming demand, the facility lacks critical diagnostic equipment such as CT scanners, MRI machines, mammography units, and fluoroscopy equipment; tools that are essential for detecting and treating life-threatening conditions," a post shared on the GMTF's Facebook page stated.

Obuobia Darko-Opoku therefore called on Corporate Ghana to channel part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)budgets toward retooling the hospital and urging ordinary Ghanaians not to look away.

“Please, this is critical,” she pleaded. “Let’s all come together and support. Help us retool Ridge Hospital. You have no idea when you or a loved one, a colleague, a friend may need its services. This is too serious to ignore.”

The Ghana Medical Trust Fund, part of the MahamaCares initiative, was officially unveiled to offer financial assistance to individuals battling long-term and life-threatening illnesses.

The launch ceremony was held at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) in Accra on Tuesday, April 29.

The fund has been designed to ease the financial burden on patients suffering from chronic conditions, including kidney disease, cancer, and cardiovascular ailments.

The MahamaCares initiative is expected to enhance access to critical treatment for vulnerable groups across the country, providing timely support where medical costs often become a barrier to care.

President John Dramani Mahama became the first major contributor to the initiative as he pledged to donate half of his annual salary.

He recalled how his father died of prostate cancer in 2001, followed by his mother’s passing in 2016 due to hypertension-related complications. He also shared the case of a staff member whose child requires expensive weekly dialysis to survive.

Calling on businesses to follow suit, the president urged the private sector to consider supporting the fund as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts.

“I want to encourage corporate Ghana, businesses, the mines, the banks, and all the other companies that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund is coming to your clients who save their money in your banks or do business with you. Some of them are even your own staff.

“So, as part of your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), if you give anything, consider that you are giving to your own staff or customers. So, I would like to encourage all corporations in Ghana, both private and public, to at the end of the year, donate some portion of their annual CSR to Ghana Medical Fund because it is going to do a lot of good to the country,” he stated.

The Mahama Cares initiative is expected to significantly improve access to critical medical treatment for underprivileged patients, while advancing national efforts toward healthcare equity and support for vulnerable groups.

Joining the list this time round are service commanders of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) who have donated one month's basic salary.

Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier General William Agyapong, made this donation known to President John Mahama during a courtesy visit on Friday, May 16.

“We are intrigued, and it is heartwarming to know that persons with conditions such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney failure, stroke, among many others, will equally benefit from this fund. Your Excellency, that is why my military command and I have decided to contribute our one-month basic salary to the fund,” he said.

On his part, the president expressed gratitude to the military command for their donation, highlighting their love the country.

“Let me take this opportunity to thank our high command for this initiative. It shows that aside from your primary responsibility of protecting our territorial boundaries and wielding weapons, you have a heart and soul beating in your chest.

"You have love for the country and love for the people you are protecting. On behalf of the people of Ghana, I thank you for this,” he said.

In addition, the general public has been encouraged to make contributions through the short code *255#, accessible on all mobile networks.