The Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF), Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, has commended the Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, for his contribution to the establishment and development of the Fund.
According to Ms Darko-Opoku, the secondment of NHIA staff to the GMTF during its formative stages provided the Fund with critical expertise and institutional knowledge needed to establish its systems and processes.
She made the remarks in a message to mark the first anniversary of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund.
The Administrator explained that building the Fund from the ground up required the establishment of systems, processes and a functional team, making the support from the NHIA particularly valuable.
She said the seconded personnel went beyond providing additional manpower, bringing valuable experience, institutional knowledge and an understanding of the operations required to build the Fund.
“They rolled up their sleeves, became part of the team, took on the pressure with us and gave an incredible account of themselves,” she said.
Ms Darko-Opoku said the contribution of the NHIA staff remained an important part of the GMTF’s progress one year after its establishment.
She also praised Dr Bampoe for his continued availability, guidance and practical support whenever the Fund encountered challenges or needed to reassess its approach to difficult issues.
According to her, the NHIA Director-General consistently offered experience, perspective and practical suggestions that helped the Fund navigate some of its challenges.
“There have been plenty of conversations, plenty of ideas, plenty of ‘let’s look at this again’ moments and, of course, the occasional ‘Onua, I have a problem!’ call,” she said.
The Administrator stressed that Dr Bampoe’s contribution went beyond offering advice, describing him as an active participant in the process of building the Fund.
She consequently listed him among the individuals whose support had been instrumental in making the GMTF’s first year possible.
“Thank you, Onua, for lending us your people, your experience, your wisdom and your support when we needed it most,” Ms Darko-Opoku said.
The Ghana Medical Trust Fund was established to mobilise resources to support the treatment of critical illnesses and improve access to specialised healthcare.
The Fund, which has now completed its first year of operations, has undertaken various interventions and forged partnerships within the health sector as part of efforts to strengthen access to critical and specialised medical care.
