First Lady calls for commitment to improve accessibility to health care

The First Lady and President of the Lordina Foundation, Lordina Mahama, has reaffirmed her commitment to enhancing access to quality medical services for women and children, particularly in underserved communities.

She stressed that access to quality health care is a fundamental human right, thus the need to ensure that such social service is easily accessible.

Mrs Mahama stated this in a speech read on her behalf at the 2025 Annual General and Scientific Meeting (AGSM) of the Paediatric Society of Ghana (PSG) in Accra.

The secretary to the foundation, Priscilla Santuo-Ocrah, who read the speech on behalf of the First Lady, advocated that the government should implement deliberate policy measures to address the gaps between urban and rural healthcare services.

“Access to quality health care is not a privilege, it is a fundamental right. So we need to commit to infrastructure development, invest in healthcare personnel, and the integration of technology-driven solutions to improve accessibility,” she added.

AGSM

The AGSM 2025 was held on the theme: “Universal Health Coverage — Bridging Gaps and Building Resilience in Child Healthcare Delivery across Ghana”.

The audience at the event

Awards and citations were presented to individuals for their outstanding contributions to paediatric health care and their significant impacts on the field.

Research

Mrs Mahama stressed the need to invest in research to address the unmet healthcare needs of children and to foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement in paediatric health care.

“Our healthcare workforce is our greatest asset.

They must be supported, valued and equipped with the necessary tools to provide the best possible care,” she added.

She said the foundation was committed to working hand-in-hand with society to ensure that every child in the country received the same standard of health care.

Efforts

The President of PSG, Dr Hilda Mantebea Boye, said achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for children was not just a target but a moral imperative.

She highlighted PSG’s key achievements over the past year, including neonatal jaundice awareness campaigns, world prematurity day engagements and securing a Grand Challenges Canada grant to enhance maternal and newborn emergency care in the Upper East and Upper West regions.

She further called for an increase in National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) enrolment for indigent populations to ensure financial protection for vulnerable children.

Commitment

The Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Dr Hafiz Adams Tahir, on behalf of the minister, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening paediatric healthcare infrastructure.

He said a comprehensive paediatric intervention and financial aid would ensure that no child was denied life-saving treatment due to financial constraints.

“The Personal Health Package is not just a political agenda but a commitment to national well-being.

This initiative is about access, quality, efficiency and sustainability,” he added.