By Iddi Yire
Accra, May 17, GNA – The Military High Command, led by Lieutenant General William Agyapong, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Ghana Armed Forces, has made a donation of one month of their Basic Salaries to President John Dramani Mahama in support of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (Mahama Cares).
The Fund, which was launched by the President in April in fulfillment of his campaign promise, is aimed at relieving the financial burden of sufferers of chronic diseases (non-communicable diseases).
The CDS was accompanied to the Presidency by Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, the Defence Minister, Major General Lawrence Kweku Gbetanu, the Chief of the Army Staff; Rear Admiral Godwin Livinus Bessing, the Chief of Naval Staff; Air Vice Marshal Eric Agyen-Frempong, the Chief of the Air Staff; and Air Vice Marshal Joshua Lartei Mensah-Larkai, the Chief of Staff at the General Headquarters.
Lt General Agyapong noted that the Military High Command was at the Presidency to lend their support to the noble venture that the President had established, the Mahama Cares.
“We share in the goal of this venture that seeks to provide financial assistance to individuals living with chronic diseases across the country, and especially to cover the cost of care and medication for non-communicable diseases not currently included under the National Health Insurance Scheme,” he stated.
“We are intrigued, and it is also heartwarming to know that persons with conditions such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney failure, and stroke, among many others, will equally benefit from this fund. Your Excellency, that is why I and my Military High Command have decided to also contribute our one-month basic salary to the fund.”
He said they were embarking on a sensitization drive to urge all their soldiers and the defense civilian staff who were willing to also consider making some contribution no matter how little towards the fund, because they know that one day, as individuals, there might be the need for them to benefit from the Fund.
President John Dramani, who upon receiving the cheque, handed it to the Authorities at the Ministry of Health, expressed gratitude to the Military High Command for the kind gesture.
“It shows that aside from your primary responsibility of protecting our territorial boundaries and wielding weapons and driving armored tanks, you have a heart and soul beating in your chest, and that you have love of country and love of the people that you are protecting. And so on behalf of the people of Ghana, I wish to thank you for this initiative. Government has made budgetary allocation to kick-start Mahama Cares,” President Mahama said.
He said, however, that due to the extensive scope of coverage, it was obvious that government resources alone would not be sufficient hence the need for fundraising to top up whatever government had given.
The President said since the launch of the Fund, many private sector organizations, which were interested in helping to fund the programme, had made enquiries.
“And so I’m sure that we will be able to raise significant amounts of money to be able to provide the care that people need. One of the major collaborations we are going to do is with the private sector,” he said.
“And our requirements will be for the private sector to open dialysis centers in areas that don’t have them. And then also to train more physiotherapists and other people who are specialized in non-communicable diseases and spread them around the country so that people don’t only have to come to Accra and Kumasi, to the teaching hospitals to be able to receive care.”
This, he said, would involve the establishment of diagnosis and treatment centers so that they would be able to detect and treat these sicknesses.
Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, the Minister of Defence, commended President Mahama for the laudable Mahama Cares initiative.
He said it was laudable to support, particularly the needy, who suffered catastrophic health care expenditure and unable to cope with the situation.
He said it was heartwarming that within the President’s first 120 days he was able to set up the Mahama Cares initiative.
GNA
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