BY Nadia Ntiamoah
Ghana’s long-standing struggle with late-stage cancer diagnosis and high treatment costs took centre stage as the Ministry of Health, in partnership with global health organisations Jhpiego and pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, used World Cancer Day to renew national commitment toward building a sustainable and accessible breast cancer care system through long-term financing reforms.
The initiative, marked by a high-level national roundtable, brought together policymakers, healthcare professionals, development partners, civil society organisations, and public health advocates to confront one of the most persistent challenges in the healthcare system — the cost and accessibility of cancer care, particularly for breast cancer patients.
The meeting shifted focus from awareness alone to the structural financing gaps that continue to limit early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care for thousands of women across the country.
For years, Ghana has battled with rising non-communicable diseases, with breast cancer emerging as one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women.
Health experts have consistently pointed to late presentation at health facilities, weak screening systems, limited diagnostic infrastructure, and the high cost of treatment as the key drivers of poor outcomes.
Many patients are diagnosed only when the disease has reached advanced stages, making treatment more complex, expensive, and less effective.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Desmond Boateng, framed breast cancer not only as a medical issue but as a development and equity challenge.
He noted that while multiple institutions and partners have launched cancer-related interventions over the years, the absence of coordination and harmonised systems has weakened their collective impact.
He acknowledged the efforts of hospitals, NGOs, donor agencies, faith-based organisations, and advocacy groups, but stressed that Ghana’s cancer response remains fragmented, underfunded, and unevenly distributed, particularly between urban and rural communities.
According to him, the lack of sustainable financing structures has left many families carrying the burden of care out-of-pocket, pushing households into financial distress.
Against this background, government’s renewed strategy is anchored on strengthening national financing mechanisms already embedded in the healthcare architecture.
Boateng highlighted key policy instruments and programmes that now form the backbone of the country’s cancer care response, including the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (Mahama Cares), the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and the Free Primary Healthcare Initiative.
These initiatives, he explained, are designed to move cancer care away from donor dependency and emergency funding toward long-term, predictable financing that supports early detection, treatment, and equitable access to services.
The Ghana Medical Trust Fund, in particular, is expected to serve as a safety net for vulnerable patients, while reforms within the NHIS aim to expand benefit packages for cancer-related services and reduce out-of-pocket payments.
The roundtable also situated the breast cancer agenda within broader national health frameworks, including the National Health Policy, the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Roadmap, and the National Non-Communicable Disease Strategy.
These policies collectively commit Ghana to building a health system where quality care is accessible to all citizens, regardless of income, location, or social status.
Participants at the meeting were urged to move beyond policy declarations to practical implementation by exploring innovative financing models, strengthening multi-sectoral partnerships, and mobilising domestic and international resources for cancer care. Emphasis was placed on the need for collaboration between government, private sector actors, development partners, faith-based institutions, and civil society to create an integrated national response.
Technical presentations during the forum focused on expanding NHIS coverage for cancer services, improving diagnostic capacity, strengthening treatment and palliative care systems, and addressing financing constraints that limit service delivery.
