MTN Ghana has launched the 2026 edition of its flagship employee volunteer programme, 21 Days of Y’ello Care, with a renewed focus on addressing hospital bed shortages and promoting preventive healthcare across the country.
The campaign, which runs from June 1 to June 21, 2026, is on the theme: “Expanding Equitable Health for Every Community: Strengthening Access to Quality, Preventive and Responsive Healthcare Services for Underserved and Remote Populations.”
Speaking at the launch in Accra, MTN Ghana’s Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, Adwoa Wiafe, said the initiative has, over the years, become an integral part of the company’s culture and community engagement efforts.
Focus on Hospital Bed Shortages and Preventive Healthcare
Ms. Wiafe noted that over the past 19 years, the Y’ello Care initiative has impacted communities through interventions in education, youth empowerment, economic inclusion, digital literacy, agriculture, and healthcare.
She said this year’s focus is on healthcare, particularly the challenge of inadequate hospital bed capacity in health facilities across the country.
She explained that the shortage often leads to patients being kept on waiting lists or transferred between facilities in search of available beds. Ms. Wiafe said the programme reflects MTN employees’ commitment to giving back to society.
“Y’ello Care is a reminder of the responsibility placed on us as people who are privileged in many ways to give back to communities that need us,” she said.
Employee Volunteerism at the Heart of Y’ello Care
As part of the intervention, MTN employees will support the repair and restoration of hospital beds in selected health facilities to improve service delivery.
“A bed can mean the difference between life and death,” she said, adding that even one additional functional bed could save lives.
Addressing Gaps in Hospital Bed Capacity
Ms. Wiafe explained that many hospitals continue to struggle with limited bed space, affecting emergency response and patient care delivery.
The campaign will also focus on raising awareness about non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, which continue to increase across the country.
Screening and Community Health Outreach Activities
Ms. Wiafe said volunteers will lead community education on healthy lifestyles and carry out health screenings in underserved areas, including tests for sickle cell disease, HIV, and tuberculosis.
Other activities include provision of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools, training of community health champions, and digital health enrolment initiatives.
She added that restoring hospital beds also aligns with MTN’s sustainability agenda of reducing waste and reusing resources.
Health Minister Commends MTN Ghana
The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, commended MTN Ghana for aligning its interventions with national health priorities and supporting efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery across the country.
Mr. Akandoh further emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector, noting that such partnerships are essential for improving healthcare delivery systems, expanding access, and ensuring more efficient responses to health challenges.
Ebola Surveillance and Public Safety Assurances
On public health safety, the Minister assured Ghanaians that the country has not recorded any cases of Ebola, despite reported outbreaks in some other countries.
He explained that government has strengthened surveillance systems, enhanced border control measures, and improved emergency preparedness to prevent any potential spread of infectious diseases into the country.
He also urged the public to maintain strict hygiene practices, including regular handwashing, use of sanitizers, and prompt reporting to health facilities when symptoms such as fever, vomiting, muscle pain, or unexplained bleeding are observed.
He urged Ghanaians to prioritize preventive healthcare and to make routine medical check-ups a habit, particularly for individuals above the age of 40, stressing that early detection remains critical in reducing preventable illnesses.
On renal healthcare delivery, Mr. Akandoh welcomed MTN Ghana’s planned intervention at Nkwanta Hospital, which includes the provision of dialysis machines and supporting equipment aimed at strengthening kidney disease treatment and improving access to renal care services.
Government Allocates GHS2.5 Billion for Health Interventions
Mr. Akandoh added that government has allocated GHS2.5 billion under the Mahama Cares Initiative to support treatment of non-communicable diseases and strengthen healthcare infrastructure. He also revealed plans to introduce legislation on organ donation and transplantation.
Ghana Health Service Praises Private Sector Support
The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Prof. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, praised MTN Ghana for its sustained contribution to healthcare delivery and national health development over the years.
He noted that the company has consistently supported a wide range of health interventions across the country, including healthcare infrastructure projects, blood donation exercises, maternity facility support, and community-based outreach programmes aimed at improving access to health services.
Prof. Akoriyea also highlighted MTN Ghana’s critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly its support for the establishment of the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre, which he described as a landmark intervention that continues to strengthen the country’s public health emergency response capacity.
He stressed that government alone cannot meet all healthcare needs in the country and therefore called for stronger and sustained public-private partnerships to enhance healthcare delivery and ensure wider access to quality health services.
Expert Warns on Rising Non-Communicable Diseases
Pharmacist and Founder of BetterHealth With Dr Payne, Dr Anita Payne, said non-communicable diseases account for between 43 and 45 percent of deaths in Ghana, highlighting the growing burden of lifestyle-related illnesses in the country.
She explained that many people are living with underlying health conditions such as hypertension and diabetes without their knowledge, and often only become aware of them when they undergo routine medical screening or health checks.
Dr. Payne encouraged the public to take preventive healthcare seriously by adopting healthier lifestyles. She recommended regular physical exercise, balanced diets, adequate rest, and consistent health screening as key measures to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases and improve overall wellbeing.
The 21 Days of Y’ello Care is MTN Group’s annual employee volunteer programme through which staff contribute time and resources to community development projects across its markets.
