Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has called for the decentralisation of cancer diagnosis and treatment services to reduce the financial and logistical difficulties patients face in accessing specialist care outside Greater Accra.
She said expanding cancer services to communities across the country would help reduce the burden of long-distance travel on patients and their families, particularly those who require regular medical attention.
The Vice President made the call at the launch of the 2026 Thank You Teacher National Raffle Campaign, where she highlighted the importance of early detection, timely treatment and sustained support for cancer patients and their caregivers.
She noted that although early diagnosis could improve treatment options and outcomes, its benefits would remain limited if patients could not access appropriate diagnostic facilities and specialist care when needed.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang identified transportation costs and the distance to specialised health facilities as additional challenges confronting cancer patients, stressing the need to make essential services more accessible.
She commended the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) for plans to establish satellite centres in partnership with the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre, saying the initiative could help extend cancer services beyond Accra.
The proposed expansion is expected to contribute to efforts to reduce geographical barriers to cancer care and make treatment more accessible to patients in other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre, Dr Clement Egyin Edusa, disclosed that the facility was in the process of onboarding the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as MahamaCares, to support cancer treatment.
The arrangement is expected to provide an additional avenue of support for patients who require cancer care.
GNAT President Prosper Tachie, for his part, appealed to the government to allocate funds in the national budget to sustain the operations of the centre.
The 2026 Thank You Teacher National Raffle Campaign seeks to recognise teachers for their contributions to education while mobilising funds to support the Cancer Foundation at the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre.
The initiative brings together efforts to appreciate teachers and strengthen support for cancer patients, as stakeholders call for improved access to diagnosis and treatment across Ghana.
