HealthTech Ghana, in partnership with the Defence Ministry, has announced a public-private partnership (PPP) collaboration to restore and significantly expand diagnostic services at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.

At the centre of the initiative is the Philips BlueSeal MRI, Ghana’s first 1.5T helium-free magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, supported by a comprehensive diagnostics infrastructure that also includes computed tomography (CT) scanning and a full range of laboratory and clinical diagnostic services.

To mark the official opening, MRI scans are available free of charge to eligible patients by appointment only for two weeks, effective June 8 to 20, 2026. To qualify, patients must be registered at 37 Military Hospital and present a completed doctor’s request form requesting an MRI.

The scan itself is provided at no cost, but a minimal fee applies for MRI Image Reporting, which is a formal interpretation of the results by a Radiology Consultant or Specialist, ensuring every scan receives the full clinical attention it requires.

This public-private partnership model is designed to address the structural historical vulnerabilities, such as equipment breakdowns, lack of maintenance and replacement pathways for such expensive advanced equipment at public hospitals; combining private sector investment with the institutional infrastructure of 37 Military Hospital creates a self-sustaining arrangement that does not depend on recurrent procurement cycles to remain operational.

The 37 Military Hospital project is the first in a planned national expansion of PPP-structured diagnostic facilities, with a long-term objective of ensuring that advanced medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics and dialysis treatment are available to Ghanaians regardless of income or geography

The diagnostic offering extends beyond MRI to provide a broad range of clinical assessments under one roof.

For 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, CT scanning, Digital X-ray, Mammography, and Ultrasound services are available for patients requiring cross-sectional imaging of the brain, chest, abdomen, and musculoskeletal structures, addressing conditions ranging from stroke assessment and trauma evaluation to cancer staging.

Laboratory diagnostics covering haematology, biochemistry and pathology complete an integrated clinical environment designed to reduce the number of occasions on which a patient must attend multiple facilities before a diagnosis can be confirmed.

The combined scope of services positions 37 Military Hospital as one of the most comprehensively equipped diagnostic centres currently accessible to the Ghanaian public.

According to Daniel Morkla, Chief Executive Officer of HealthTech Ghana Limited, “For too long, a Ghanaian needing an MRI had to choose between paying thousands of cedis for a scan and, in some cases, travelling a long distance to Accra or Kumasi for an MRI or simply going without.

"This partnership changes that. The MRI is not only the headline, but the full diagnostic suite we have brought to 37 Military Hospital means that a patient can walk in and receive the kind of comprehensive assessment 24/7 that was previously available.

"We are not only reopening the MRI Service after many years, but we are restoring trust in what public healthcare in Ghana can achieve.”