A 36-year-old midwife, Rebecca Odarquaye, has received a lifeline after the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Cares, fully settled the cost of her life-saving brain surgery.
Rebecca, who has spent years caring for expectant mothers, was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain aneurysm and advised by doctors that urgent surgery was the only option to save her life.
Recalling the moment she received the diagnosis, she said fear and uncertainty quickly set in.
“When the doctors told me about the condition, I was scared. I kept thinking about my family and the women I still want to help as a midwife,” she shared.
The surgery, however, came with a daunting price tag of GH¢210,840—an amount far beyond the reach of her family.
“There was no way my family and I could raise that amount. It felt like my life had come to a standstill,” Rebecca added.
Following public appeals for assistance, kind-hearted individuals contributed GH¢17,000 towards her treatment. While the support offered some hope, it remained insufficient to cover the full cost of the procedure.
Relief finally came when the Ghana Medical Trust Fund intervened, taking up Rebecca’s case as part of its pilot projects.
The payment was formally presented by the Administrator of the Fund, Obuobia Darko-Opoku.
Speaking on the intervention, Health Policy Advisor at the Fund, Dr Norbert Kipo, said the decision was taken after a thorough assessment of her medical condition.
“This is exactly why the Ghana Medical Trust Fund was established by the President—to ensure that no Ghanaian suffers or dies simply because they cannot afford critical medical care,” he stated.
Dr Kipo confirmed that the Fund fully paid Rebecca’s GH¢210,840 medical bill at Eurocare Hospital.
He added that the earlier public donations have been preserved to support her recovery.
“The funds raised earlier have been set aside for her post-surgery care, including medication and recovery support,” he explained.
He expressed appreciation to President John Dramani Mahama for establishing the Trust Fund and encouraged individuals and organisations to support the initiative.
“We are grateful to President Mahama for this intervention, and we encourage Ghanaians to support the Trust Fund so that more lives can be saved,” he said.