Mahama reaffirms commitment to strengthening surgical care across Ghana

President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated the government’s resolve to build a strong, efficient, and fully functional surgical system across the country. Speaking at the 66th Annual Conference of the West African Association of Surgeons on Monday, February 9, he outlined plans to enhance blood supply systems, strengthen referral networks, and widen access to surgical care, especially in underserved communities.

He stressed that capacity building in surgery must be approached holistically. According to him, it goes beyond training more surgeons to also include reinforcing the teams and systems that ensure safe surgical care, such as anaesthesia, nursing, diagnostics, and other support services.

President Mahama further highlighted the importance of strong governance, noting that the government is committed to reinforcing these critical foundations. He assured participants that recommendations from the conference would be carefully reviewed and that the government would collaborate with stakeholders to swiftly implement proposals requiring urgent action.

Beyond structural reforms, the President also pledged sustainable funding for surgical services as part of wider health sector reforms, reaffirming the administration’s long-term commitment to making safe and accessible surgical care available to all Ghanaians.