During the launch of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, President John Dramani Mahama delivered a heartfelt address emphasizing the urgent need for support for individuals affected by non-communicable diseases.
“Persons who are much poorer and can least afford to manage these diseases are the ones who suffer the most. That is why the Ghana Medical Trust Fund has come at the right time,” he stated.
Reflecting on his own family’s struggles with chronic illness, President Mahama revealed that his father died of prostate cancer in 2001, while his mother passed away in 2016 due to complications from high blood pressure and diabetes. He also shared that his stepmother succumbed to breast cancer, and just last year, he lost a dear friend who valiantly battled the same disease.
“These are loved ones that we’re talking about. We must not see them as mere numbers; we must see them as real lives that we need to touch and help,” he urged.
President Mahama recounted a poignant story about a close confidant from his political journey who faced severe health challenges. “He was an assemblyman and a strong supporter when I started my political career in Bole Bamboe,” he recalled. “When he developed kidney problems, he had to travel from Bole Bamboe to Kumasi weekly for dialysis treatment. The cost was unbearable.”
Despite the President’s efforts to assist him, the financial burden forced his friend to sell his belongings and move his family to Kumasi for better access to medical care. “Eventually, he died, leaving behind a family in poverty because he had sold all his assets to look after himself,” President Mahama lamented. “These are real stories, and that is why what we’re doing today is important.”
About The Author
