Twenty-five healthcare institutions and professionals have been honoured for their outstanding contributions to Ghana’s medical and diagnostic sector at the 5th Ghana Medical and Diagnostic Excellence Awards held in Accra.

The event, held on Saturday, August 1, at the Marriott Hotel in Accra, brought together healthcare practitioners, policymakers, industry leaders and government representatives to celebrate excellence in medical and diagnostic services.

Delivering the welcome address, Chairperson of the event, the Deputy Director General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Juliet Agyapomaa Okae, described healthcare as a cornerstone of national development, stressing that quality diagnosis, innovation and compassionate care remain essential to building a healthier and more prosperous Ghana.

"This evening, we proudly celebrate the institutions, organisations and individuals whose dedication and professionalism are transforming healthcare, improving lives and inspiring brighter futures for all," she said.

She noted that while the awards recognised excellence, they also served as a reminder of the need to uphold integrity, professionalism, collaboration and innovation to build a healthcare system that is accessible, resilient, sustainable and globally competitive.

"As we celebrate outstanding achievements, let us also reaffirm our commitment to integrity and professionalism, innovation and collaboration, and service to humanity. By embracing these values and working together, we can build a healthcare system that is more accessible, resilient, sustainable, and globally competitive.”

The keynote speaker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cassona Healthcare Group, John Chigbu Esq., challenged Africans, particularly those in the diaspora, to contribute meaningfully to improving healthcare delivery on the continent instead of relying solely on governments.

He explained that the inspiration behind Cassona's investment in Ghana's healthcare sector stemmed from the loss of his mother to breast cancer after she could not receive a timely diagnosis.

"My mother passed away because she could not be diagnosed with breast cancer. That was when I realised Ghana lacked one of the most basic tools healthcare providers need—diagnostics," he said.

According to him, although diagnostic equipment existed in many facilities, affordability, maintenance challenges and inadequate technical expertise rendered many of them unusable.

He revealed that before launching operations in Ghana, his team studied the country's healthcare challenges and identified several barriers, including the high cost of equipment, lack of local engineers to service machines, inadequate training for healthcare professionals on modern technology and unreliable electricity supply that frequently damaged sensitive medical equipment.

Mr Chigbu said Cassona's approach has been to bridge these gaps by making diagnostic equipment more affordable, building local technical capacity, training healthcare professionals and introducing financing models that allow private healthcare providers to acquire equipment through instalment payments.

He also lamented the migration of healthcare professionals from Ghana, arguing that many leave because they lack the tools needed to perform effectively.

"There are approximately 15,000 nurses who left Ghana two years ago. Nigeria alone has about 24,000 doctors in the United States. Many of our best minds have left because they do not have the tools to do their jobs," he said.

He urged the private sector to play a greater role in transforming healthcare delivery, insisting that sustainable improvements would require collaboration beyond government interventions.

Representing the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, as Special Guest of Honour, Presidential Staffer Nana Yaa Akyenpim Jantuah reaffirmed the government's commitment to strengthening Ghana's healthcare system through investments in infrastructure, digital health, diagnostics, and medical education.

She described healthcare professionals as the country's unsung heroes whose dedication often gives hope to patients facing life-threatening conditions.

"Healthcare remains one of the most important pillars of national development. No nation can achieve sustainable economic growth without a healthy population," she said.

She emphasised that accurate diagnosis forms the foundation of effective treatment and commended healthcare workers and diagnostic professionals for ensuring patients receive timely and reliable medical care.

Ms Jantuah also highlighted the government's commitment to embracing emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, telemedicine, robotics and precision medicine to improve healthcare delivery while ensuring quality services remain affordable.

She called on healthcare professionals to continue demonstrating compassion and empathy, particularly toward patients battling chronic and non-communicable diseases such as childhood cancers and kidney conditions.

The Presidential Staffer further appealed to the private sector to support the government's Mahama Care initiative, which seeks to assist patients living with non-communicable diseases, noting that staff at the Office of the President had already contributed GH¢6 million from their salaries toward the programme.

She also stressed the need for increased investment in medical research to better understand the growing incidence of childhood diseases and other complex health conditions.

The event concluded with the recognition of 25 healthcare institutions and individuals for excellence across various categories, including hospitals, diagnostic centres, laboratories, pharmaceutical products, healthcare entrepreneurs and medical equipment suppliers.

Among the major winners were SYNLAB Ghana, which received both the Best International Practice Diagnostic Centre of the Year and Overall Best Diagnostic Centre of the Year awards, Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, named Most Advanced Specialist Hospital of the Year, and Chrispod Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, which won Overall Best Community Hospital of the Year.

Other award recipients included Wisconsin University for Best Private Nursing College of the Year, Peninsular Medical Centre for Fastest Growing Private Hospital of the Year, Cassona Global Imaging for Best Medical Imaging Equipment Supplier of the Year, and MDS Lancet Laboratories, recognised as the Most Technologically Advanced Laboratory Centre of the Year.

Award Presentation Order

1. WISCONSIN UNIVERSITY
   Best Private Nursing College of the Year
2. PENINSULAR MEDICAL CENTRE
   Fastest Growing Private Hospital of the Year
3. MMA LABS
   Best Digital Healthcare Provider of the Year
4. ROOTER 4H
   Outstanding Hypertension Management Product of the Year
5. QUEST MEDICAL IMAGING
   Best Medical Imaging Brand of the Year
6. CHRISPOD HOSPITAL AND DIAGNOSTIC CENTRE
   Best Hospital Diagnostic Centre of the Year
7. ASEDA HEALTH AND WELLNESS
   Fastest Growing Body Contouring Center of the Year
8. DCL LABORATORIES PRODUCTS LTD.
   Best Biomedical Equipment Supplier & Technical Support Company of the Year
9. MARY LUCY HOSPITAL
   Best IVF Hospital of the Year
10. ROOTER MIXTURE
    Outstanding Anti-Malaria Mixture of the Year
11. CASSONA GLOBAL IMAGING
    Best Medical Imaging Equipment Supplier of the Year
12. DIAGNOSTIC CENTRE LTD
    Best Emerging Laboratory Center of the Year
13. ELIXIR CLINIC
    Best Beauty and Aesthetic Clinic of the Year
14. HAC-CER CAPSULES & MIXTURE
    Best Ulcer Product of the Year
15. SONOTECH MEDICAL CENTER
    Best 24-Hour Diagnostic Center of the Year
16. MMA LABS
    Best DNA Test Center of the Year
17. RABITO CLINIC
    Best Skin Disease Treatment Centre of the Year
18. SUNSHINE HEALTHCARE LTD.
    Most Equipped Medical Diagnostic Center of the Year
19. DIAGNOSTIC CENTRE LTD
    Best Medical Imaging Center of the Year
20. MDS LANCET LABORATORIES
    Most Technologically Advanced Laboratory Center of the Year
21. CHRISPOD HOSPITAL AND DIAGNOSTIC CENTRE
    Overall Best Community Hospital of the Year
22. EURACARE MULTI-SPECIALIST HOSPITAL
    Most Advanced Specialist Hospital of the Year
23. AMB. CHRISTIAN KPODO
    Best Healthcare Entrepreneur of the Year
24. SYNLAB GHANA
    Best International Practice Diagnostic Center of the Year
25. SYNLAB GHANA
    Overall Best Diagnostic Centre of the Year