President John Dramani Mahama used the second edition of the WHX African Leaders Summit in Accra to call for a new era of public‑private collaboration in Ghana’s health sector. Speaking under the theme “Catalysing Africa’s Health Revolution through Investment, Innovation, Impact and Infrastructure,” he lamented that many of the diagnostic machines and other equipment installed during his earlier administration—such as MRI scanners—have fallen into disrepair or become obsolete, leaving hospitals without the tools they need to serve patients .¹
Mahama said the government will no longer shoulder the entire cost of modernising facilities. Instead, it will partner with private investors to create lasting infrastructure, especially for imaging, laboratory services and specialised treatments like dialysis. “The era where patients have to move their entire family to a particular region just to access care must end,” he told the audience, adding that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund—popularly known as _Mahama Cares_—is now operational and will help finance these initiatives .
The president’s remarks echo a broader push for public‑private partnerships that have already attracted interest from international investors. Earlier this year, the government announced plans to complete 111 modern hospitals and to involve private developers in the construction and operation of diagnostic centres .² At the same summit, the International Finance Corporation signalled its commitment to support private‑sector projects that expand imaging capacity, noting that Ghana currently has fewer than two dozen CT scanners for a population of 30 million .³
Mahama’s call also aligns with recent statements from the Ministry of Health, which has pledged to integrate private health facilities more fully into the national workforce strategy, improve reimbursement timelines and create an enabling environment for private providers .⁴ Together, these moves aim to turn the tide on the chronic shortage of functional diagnostic equipment, reduce the financial burden on families, and build a health system that can deliver modern, affordable care across the country.
_What specific types of private‑sector partnerships do you think would be most effective for expanding diagnostic services in rural areas?_
_How can the government ensure that the benefits of these investments reach the patients who need them most?_
