GHANA HOLDS NATIONAL DIALOGUE TO ADDRESS SURGICAL CARE CHALLENGES
The Ministry of Health, in partnership with Operation Smile and Mercy Ships, has convened a two-day Surgical Dialogue aimed at addressing key challenges facing Surgical Obstetric, Trauma and Anaesthesia (SOTA) delivery care in Ghana.
Held under the theme “Bridging the Gap: Policy, Practice and People in Ghana’s Surgical Journey,” the event brought together stakeholders to deliberate on pressing issues such as national surgical policies, clinical practices and how to put people at the center of surgical care.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Hon. Minister for Health, the Deputy Minister, Hon. Prof. Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah emphasized the need to train and deploy more specialists, including surgeons, anaesthetists, oncologists, cardiologists, nurses, biomedical engineers and other professionals whose skills are vital to managing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and other complex conditions.
“We know that surgery saves lives. It restores dignity, prevents disability, and offers hope where once there was despair,” she said.
Prof. Dr. Ayensu-Danquah noted that with strategic investments, committed leadership, and strong partnerships across sectors, Ghana has made important progress in expanding healthcare infrastructure, strengthening medical training, and improving emergency response systems over the past two decades.
Nonetheless, she emphasized the remaining critical gaps such as limited access to even basic surgical services in many rural areas and surgical workforce unevenly distributed, leaving some regions without adequate coverage.
The Deputy Minister said the Mahama Cares, which is being launched is an ambitious and transformative health initiative that will revolutionise the way we prevent, detect, and treat NCDs in Ghana.
“Mahama Cares places prevention at the forefront, integrating screening and early detection into primary healthcare, expanding access to essential medications, and improving referral systems for specialist care,” she added.
She also urged the clinicians and professional bodies to continue leading with integrity and champion the highest standards of care.
Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Mr. Desmond Boateng, noted that many Ghanaians still lack access to safe and affordable surgical services.
“The disparities between urban and rural care, the delays in treatment, and the financial burden on patients highlight the urgent need for systemic change,” he said.
The Chairman for the Implementation Steering Committee of Ghana’s National Surgical Obstetrics and Anaesthesia Plan (NSOAP) and Immediate Past President of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. John Nkrumah Mills, called for action and deliberate decision of Governments to integrate the NSOAP into the National Health System. SOTA care must be a right and not a privilege to achieve UHC.
The dialogue also featured a high-level panel discussion focused on shaping surgical policy, financing surgical care in Ghana and innovations in SOTA care Delivery.
Participants included surgeons, nurses, anaesthetists, biomedical engineers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, researchers, advocates, and international development partners from the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service across the Regions and Districts, CHAG, WHO, Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, National Cardiothoracic Center, NHIA, Ministry of Finance, PHFAoG, Banks, etc.
The Ghana surgical dialogue was funded by Operation Smile and Mercy Ships in close collaboration with Ministry of Health and with support from Stanbic Bank Ghana
For further information, partnerships and collaboration on the implementation of Ghana’s NSOAP, kindly contact the NSOAP Desk (HRHD – TDU) at the Ministry of Health via email: ernest.agyei-tuffour@moh.gov.gh or WhatsApp: +233244729050.