Minority Leader appeals for inclusion of hernia treatment under MahamaCares

The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has appealed to the government to include the treatment of hernia under the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares) or subsidise its treatment.

He said doing so would encourage many Ghanaians suffering from the condition to seek early treatment.

“There are matters that we may consider trivial, but somebody in the village who has this condition and does not have the means will not have access to treatment,” he said.

Ministerial briefing

Contributing to a business statement on the floor of parliament, Mr Afenyo-Markin also made an application to the leadership of the House to programme the Minister of Health to appear and brief members as to whether or not the condition could be added to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund.

“Mr Speaker, the thing is that it is not everything that the health insurance covers and this is one important thing that, Mr Speaker, we need the ministerial briefing on”.

Doctors’ warnings

Mr Afenyo-Markins, who is the Member of Parliament for Effutu, informed the House on how doctors had been raising concerns about the rise in hernia cases in Ghana.

He cited one Dr Godfred Owusu Ankasa of the Methodist Faith Hospital, warning about the rising cases of inguinal hernia in Ghana and how its delayed treatment often led to complications.

He told the House how the Methodist Health Trust has treated over 800 patients across Ankasa, Apuroso and Apedwa.

“The Nurse Manager at the facility, Gloria Agyeiwaa Osei-Boateng, has also urged people to seek proper medical care and called on the National Health Insurance Scheme to subsidise hernia treatment,” he said