Cancer care must reach patients beyond Accra – Prof. Opoku-Agyemang

Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has called for expanded access to cancer diagnosis and treatment across Ghana, particularly for patients living outside the Greater Accra Region.

She said plans by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) to establish satellite centres linked to the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre could help reduce the challenges patients face in accessing specialist cancer care.

The Vice President made the remarks at the launch of the 2026 Thank You Teacher National Raffle Campaign, where she emphasised the importance of early detection, timely treatment and sustained support for cancer patients and their caregivers.

She urged stakeholders to support government efforts to strengthen cancer care and make essential diagnostic and treatment services more accessible to people across the country.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang said early detection could improve treatment options and outcomes for many forms of cancer, but stressed that public awareness must be supported by access to appropriate diagnostic and medical services.

She noted that patients outside major urban centres often face additional challenges, including long-distance travel and transportation costs, which can make seeking specialist care more difficult.

“Early detection can make a significant difference to treatment options and outcomes for many forms of cancer. Yet awareness must be backed with diagnosis and appropriate care. For many people, distance and travel cost can make an already difficult experience even harder,” she said.

The Vice President added that improving access to diagnosis was an important part of strengthening Ghana’s response to cancer.

“I therefore commend GNAT for the ambition to extend these services beyond Accra,” she stated.

GNAT’s proposed satellite centres are expected to help extend access to cancer-related services beyond Greater Accra through links with the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre.

The initiative seeks to address geographical barriers that can prevent patients from obtaining timely specialist care.

If implemented, the satellite-centre model could reduce the need for some patients to travel to Accra for services available at the new locations. The extent of the benefit will depend on the services offered, the centres selected and the arrangements for referrals and specialist treatment.

The initiative also highlights the role of partnerships between professional associations and healthcare institutions in efforts to improve access to specialised medical services.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre, Dr Clement Egyin Edusa, disclosed that the facility was onboarding the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as MahamaCares, to support cancer treatment.

The arrangement is expected to connect the centre with the fund’s efforts to support eligible patients requiring treatment for serious illnesses, including cancer.

Further details on the onboarding process, eligibility requirements and the extent of financial support available were not provided in the source report.

Meanwhile, GNAT President Prosper Tachie appealed to the government to make budgetary allocations to sustain the operations of the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre.

His appeal underscored the importance of reliable funding in maintaining cancer treatment services and supporting efforts to expand access to specialist care.

Sustained financing could be particularly important as healthcare institutions explore ways to extend services to patients who face financial and geographical barriers.

The 2026 Thank You Teacher National Raffle Campaign seeks to celebrate teachers while raising funds to support the Cancer Foundation at the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre.

The campaign brings together teacher recognition and fundraising for cancer-related services, linking the welfare of the teaching profession with broader healthcare support initiatives.

The discussions at the launch highlighted the need for early diagnosis, accessible treatment, sustainable funding and collaboration among government, professional associations and healthcare providers to improve cancer care in Ghana.