President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Ministry of Health to begin plans for the establishment of a cancer treatment centre in Tamale, aimed at improving access to specialised healthcare in northern Ghana.
The President made the announcement during a visit to the Tamale Teaching Hospital, where he inspected progress on an ongoing cardiothoracic centre project.
According to him, the lack of cancer treatment facilities in the northern sector forces patients to travel long distances to southern Ghana, a situation he described as both costly and risky.
“We should start looking at a cancer centre here in Tamale so that we don’t have to send patients all the way down south,” he stated.
First-of-its-kind cardiac facility
President Mahama noted that the cardiothoracic centre under construction at the hospital will be the first of its kind in the Savannah zone. He expressed satisfaction with the pace of work, indicating that the facility could become operational by next year once equipment installation is completed.
The project, he revealed, was partly inspired by the tragic death of a doctor who could not access timely angioplasty services due to non-functional catheterisation laboratories in both Accra and Kumasi at the time.
Improving emergency care in the north
The President emphasised that the new facility will significantly enhance emergency cardiac care in northern Ghana, where specialised services remain limited.
“This facility will give people in the north a better chance of survival in cardiac emergencies,” he said.
He further explained that the centre is expected to serve not only residents in northern Ghana but also patients from neighbouring countries, positioning Tamale as a key healthcare hub in the sub-region.
Call for more specialised centres
President Mahama underscored the need for continued investment in healthcare infrastructure, calling for the establishment of more specialised treatment centres across the country.
He also commended the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (Mahama Cares) for their role in supporting the project, urging sustained efforts to improve access to quality healthcare nationwide.
