There are only 2 cardiologists serving northern Ghana – GMTF Administrator

The Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, has raised concern over the acute shortage of specialist healthcare professionals in northern Ghana, revealing that the entire northern sector has only two practising cardiologists serving millions of people.

She described the situation as a stark reflection of the deep inequalities within the country’s healthcare system and warned that urgent investment is needed to bridge the widening gap in access to specialised medical care.

“In the entire northern sector of Ghana, there are only two practising cardiologists serving millions of people,” she disclosed.

According to her, the revelation emerged from a comprehensive nationwide needs assessment conducted by the Trust Fund across 21 health facilities, including six teaching hospitals, nine regional hospitals, and referral facilities in the six newly created regions.

She said the assessment exposed critical shortages in both specialised personnel and essential medical equipment across the country.

She disclosed that all the facilities assessed collectively had only two MRI machines and five mammogram machines, while the country’s radiotherapy infrastructure remains heavily concentrated in the south.

Ms Darko-Opoku noted that Ghana currently has only two radiotherapy machines within the public health sector and one in the private sector, all located in Accra and Kumasi, leaving patients in other parts of the country with limited access to cancer treatment services.

“Across all facilities assessed, there were only two MRI machines and five mammogram machines. Additionally, there are only two radiotherapy machines within the public sector and one in the private sector, located only in Accra and Kumasi,” she said during her turn on the Government’s Accountability Series on Monday, May 11.

She stressed that the findings underscore the urgent need for sustained investment in specialist healthcare delivery, medical infrastructure, and workforce development to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare nationwide.

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