President Mahama Commits to Strengthening Ghana’s Surgical Care System

President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his administration’s resolve to develop a robust, efficient and fully functional surgical system across Ghana as part of broader health sector reforms.

Delivering a keynote address at the 66th Annual Conference of the West African Association of Surgeons on Monday, February 9, President Mahama outlined plans to strengthen blood supply chains, improve referral systems and expand access to surgical services, especially in remote and underserved communities.

He stressed that improving surgical care goes beyond increasing the number of trained surgeons, noting that a holistic approach is required to guarantee patient safety and quality outcomes.

“Capacity building in surgery is both timely and critical. It must be approached in a comprehensive manner,” the President said. “It is not only about training more surgeons, but also about reinforcing the entire support system that ensures safe surgery—anaesthesia, nursing, diagnostics, and other essential services.”

President Mahama further emphasised the importance of strong governance structures within the health sector, describing them as key to sustaining improvements in surgical delivery nationwide.

He assured stakeholders that his government remains committed to reinforcing these foundational systems and will carefully review the recommendations emerging from the conference.

“We will study the proposals from this conference thoroughly and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to implement those that demand urgent attention,” he stated.

Beyond structural and human resource improvements, the President also pledged to prioritise sustainable financing for surgical care, highlighting it as a critical component of the government’s long-term vision for accessible, safe and equitable healthcare for all Ghanaians.