The Christian Council of Ghana has pledged its full support for the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF), promising to mobilise churches and communities nationwide to support its mission of helping Ghanaians who cannot afford critical medical care.

Executive Secretary of the Council, Rev. Dr Cyril G. K. Fayose, said the Council considers the work of the Trust Fund an extension of the Christian responsibility to care for the sick and relieve human suffering.

Speaking during a meeting with the GMTF leadership, Rev. Dr Fayose said the Council had “caught the back” of the Trust Fund and would support its work “through and through.”

He said the Fund’s mission reflects the healing ministry of Jesus Christ and the Christian duty to support people in distress.

“For us, this is the work of God. Jesus Christ went about healing the sick and alleviating people's pain and suffering. When you provide treatment and hope to someone who otherwise could not afford medical care, you are doing a work that is at the very heart of our Christian calling,” he said.

Rev. Dr Fayose disclosed that the Christian Council was consulted during the conception of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund and therefore understood the importance of the initiative.

He also commended the Fund’s leadership, particularly its Administrator, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, for the progress made within its first year.

According to him, stories of patients who have received life-saving treatment through the Fund demonstrate the need for churches, corporate institutions, philanthropists and individuals to support its work.

He pledged that the Christian Council would become one of the “crusaders” of the GMTF by using its network of churches and congregations to raise awareness, share the Fund’s impact and encourage donations.

Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, said the initiative was founded on the conviction that no Ghanaian should die simply because they cannot afford or access needed medical care.

She highlighted the financial burden faced by families who exhaust their savings on medical bills or delay treatment because of the cost.

“Sometimes, the difference between someone receiving treatment and losing their life is simply the availability of financial support at the right time. This is the gap that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund seeks to help address,” she said.

Ms Darko-Opoku described the Christian Council as a strategic partner because of the Church’s nationwide reach and longstanding contribution to healthcare and social development.

She urged churches to help mobilise their congregations, support fundraising efforts and promote a culture in which saving lives is seen as a shared responsibility.

She challenged the Christian community to help build a Ghana where churches can confidently say:

“If there is someone among us who needs life-saving medical care and cannot afford it, we will not look away.”

Ms Darko-Opoku stressed that the GMTF is not intended to replace existing healthcare financing arrangements.

Instead, she said, the Fund seeks to complement existing systems and close critical gaps that continue to prevent vulnerable Ghanaians from accessing specialised treatment.