The Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF), Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku has commended the Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, for his significant contribution to the establishment and growth of the Fund.
According to the Administrator, the secondment of NHIA staff to the GMTF during its formative stages provided the Fund with critical expertise and institutional knowledge needed to build its systems and processes.
In a message marking the first anniversary of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, the Administrator said starting the Fund from the ground up required putting systems in place, bringing people together and developing processes, making the support from the NHIA particularly valuable.
She said, the seconded staff did more than provide additional manpower, noting that they brought “rich experience, institutional knowledge and a deep understanding of the work” to the Fund.
“They rolled up their sleeves, became part of the team, took on the pressure with us and gave an incredible account of themselves,” she said.
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The Administrator said the contribution of the NHIA personnel remained an important part of the story of the Fund’s progress one year after its establishment.
She also praised Dr. Bampoe for his continued availability and guidance whenever the Fund encountered challenges or needed to review its approach to difficult issues.
According to her, the NHIA Director-General consistently provided experience, perspective and practical suggestions that helped the Fund navigate some of its challenges.
“There have been plenty of conversations, plenty of ideas, plenty of ‘let’s look at this again’ moments and, of course, the occasional ‘Onua, I have a problem!’ call,” she said.
The Administrator stressed that Dr. Bampoe’s contribution went beyond offering advice from the sidelines, describing him as someone who actively participated in the work of building the Fund.
She therefore placed Dr. Bampoe among the individuals whose support had been instrumental in making the first year of the GMTF possible.
“Thank you, Onua, for lending us your people, your experience, your wisdom and your support when we needed it most,” the Administrator said.
The Ghana Medical Trust Fund, established as part of efforts to mobilize resources to support the treatment of critical illnesses and improve access to specialized healthcare, has marked its first year of operations with a number of interventions and partnerships in the health sector.
