Dear President Mahama,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits.
I have not kept my promise to write to you every week until your first 120 days in office. I am sorry about that. I didn’t consider how busy the year would be for me. I will do better.
Notwithstanding, I have been following you very keenly. As of March 31, 2025, you have been in office for 83 days.
Mr. President, in your first 83 days, your leadership has demonstrated efficiency, economic revitalization, and accountability. You reduced ministries from 30 to 23 and swiftly appointed key ministers to drive national progress. The establishment of a Constitution Review Committee highlights your commitment to governance reforms.
Economically, your convening of a national dialogue to reassess the $3 billion IMF agreement and your scrapping of e-levy, betting tax and others show a clear focus on growth and fiscal responsibility. In the energy sector, your 12-member committee,led by the Energy Minister, seeks to resolve financial and technical challenges to ensure stability.
Your social interventions have been impactful— dedicating atotal allocation of GH¢21.77 billion for social protection in the 2025 budget, donating GHS1 million to Kantamanto Market fire victims, reducing University of Ghana residential fees, and supplying food to Senior High Schools. Your halting of state land sales and suspension of National Cathedral public funding reinforce transparency and fiscal prudence. These decisive actions reflect a commitment to governance, economic stability, and national welfare, reassuring Ghanaians of your dedication to their well-being.
Mr. President, your leadership is clearly working wonders—not just in governance but even on the football pitch! Since your visit to the Black Stars before their recent match, it’s as if your energy for restructuring and accountability has inspired them to restructure their defense and be accountable for every goal attempt. Suddenly, our boys are scoring, winning matches, and making Ghanaians believe in miracles again.
So, you could say, generally, I had been a happy and hopeful Ghanaian, until last weekend, when I heard about the ill-health of the vice president, Her Excellency Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang. It is very sad that she has experienced ill-health in these early days of your administration. I cannot imagine how difficult this must be for her family and for you as president currently without a vice.
But I also read the press release signed by your spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, explaining that the veep was traveling abroad for further medical care after initial care at the University of Ghana Medical Center (UGMC).
Mr. President, this made me very sad and dashed my hopes.
A Reflection on Past Commitments
In January 2017, during your first tenure as President, you inaugurated the first phase of the UGMC. This 650-bed facility, with its state-of-the-art equipment and specialized departments, was heralded as a beacon of hope for Ghana’s healthcare system. You articulated a vision where such institutions would not only serve Ghanaians but also position our country as a hub for medical tourism within West Africa.
Your words during the inauguration resonated with many: “It is a major milestone as the country in its quest to improve quality healthcare availability to Ghanaians. The completion is a dream come true. Residents within the catchment area of the university and even beyond Ghana will have access to a first-class medical facility.”
You touted this as one of the best in the West African Subregion.
In a 2020 article written by the current Finance Minister, CassielAto Forson, you, Mr. President, were credited as the visionary behind the Bank Hospital, having led its conceptualization and construction during your presidency. It is said that the hospital was built with public funds under your directive.
That facility stands as a testament to your commitment to transforming Ghana’s healthcare sector. I have been to that facility a number of times and I testify to its pristine location in Cantonments, Accra and state-of-the-art facilities and services. The hospital boasts modern medical equipment and offers both primary and specialized healthcare services. Designed to meet international standards, it positions Ghana as a key player in medical tourism within the ECOWAS region.
I am not even mentioning the likes of Ridge, Korle-Bu and Konfo Anokye hospitals because even when they were there, in times past, political figure heads traveled abroad for medical care. It is the reason why you invested so much money into UGMC and the Bank Hospital.
A Paradox and Some History
Despite these commendable efforts and substantial investments in our healthcare infrastructure, it is disheartening to observe that many of our political leaders continue to seek medical treatment abroad. This practice not only undermines the confidence in our local medical institutions but also raises questions about the efficacy and sustainability of our healthcare investments.
Records reveal that late former President J.E.A. Mills, Ex-president Nana Akufo-Addo and his vice, Dr MahamuduBawumia, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, and nearly all of our politicians seek medical assistance outside the country. E.T. Mensah, the longest-serving MP for Ningo-Prampram and former Minister of Youth and Sports under Rawlings, died in South Africa while seeking medical care. Hawa Ogede Yakubu, former MP for Bawku Central, passed away in the United Kingdom seeking medical care.
In the particular case of the NDC, Mr. President, there’s an eerie pattern that seems to haunt your vice-presidential picks—one after the other, they rise to prominence, seek medical treatment abroad, and sadly, do not return in good health. I do not mean to remind anyone of pain, but it is too glaring to gloss over that Kow Nkensen Arkaah, VP to the late President Rawlings, sought care in Atlanta but never made it back, passing in 2001. His successor, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, endured multiple medical trips before tragically passing just three days after his 68th birthday in 2012, following a return from a check-up barely a month prior. Then came Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, whose tenure also ended in sorrow when he collapsed at a military gym in 2018. Whether coincidence or cruel fate, the cycle remains an unfortunate and unsettling chapter in Ghana’s political history.
As a young student of politics, I am asking myself, how have we not fixed the healthcare problem in this country since independence to the extent that 67 years down the line, prominent members of our society have to seek medical care outside the country?
The recent case of Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang seeking further medical care abroad after initial treatment at UGMC has reignited this debate. If our premier medical facilities are deemed insufficient for our leaders, what message does this send to the ordinary Ghanaian? Are the current facilities insufficient? Is the problem with medical expertise? Or is it politics as usual?
Costs and Opposition
The financial ramifications of medical tourism by our political elite are profound. Funds allocated for overseas treatments could be redirected to further enhance our local healthcare facilities, procure essential medical equipment, and improve the welfare of our healthcare professionals. Moreover, when leaders opt for treatment abroad, it inadvertently signals a lack of trust in the system they oversee, potentially demoralising the dedicated professionals who strive daily to provide quality care amidst numerous challenges.
As highlighted in a 2017 article by Tahiru Azaaviele Liedong, Professor of Strategy & International Business at the University of Bath, UK, African politicians seeking medical help abroad is not just a Ghanaian issue but a continental one. Prof. Liedong’sarticle emphasises that this trend is “shameful and harms health care,” pointing out that “Africa’s public health systems are in a depressing condition” and that “preventable diseases still kill a large number of women and children.”
Just a few weeks ago, I watched a video of Prof. Agyeman Badu Akosa, the renowned pathologist, academic, politician and social commentator, who was Director-General of the Ghana Health Service from 2002 to 2006. In this video, Prof. Akosa was vehement and clear in his argument that public officers in Africa should not be allowed to seek medical care outside the continent. “Why should any public officer, politician or senior public officer, be allowed to travel out to go and seek healthcare? Do they disrespect those of us who are the medically qualified professionals in this country?” According to him, all you politicians know how expensive health is everywhere. He said, when you go out for healthcare, you “pay through your nose.”
In light of these concerns, there have been calls from various quarters for policy reforms to address this issue. Notably, in May 2021, Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency and current Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, advocated for a policy to ban government officials from seeking medical care abroad. He asserted that such a policy would compel the government to focus more on fixing the challenges within the country’s healthcare system, making it more robust and reliable for all citizens. Ablakwa’s call was partly inspired by the tragic death of a 12-year-old boy in his constituency, who passed away due to difficulties in transferring him to a tertiary hospital, highlighting systemic issues in the nation’s health services.
Mr. President, in May 2020, you said that UGMC was established to stop politicians from seeking medical care outside the country. Responding to a suggestion about positioning Ghana as a healthcare hub in Africa to boost medical tourism, you reiterated that this vision was at the core of establishing the University of Ghana Medical Centre. You said, “Indeed, this was the intention of setting up the University of Ghana Medical Centre. It was supposed to improve the health care of Ghanaians but at the same time, it was meant to be the centre of excellence in Africa so that people who needed specialized health services could come from our neighbouring countries to have treatment,” he stated.
You even went on to emphasise that the facility was designed to curb the long-standing reliance on foreign medical care by Ghanaian leaders, stating, “It was also meant to stop the practice where top government of Ghana officials had to go outside the country in order to receive medical treatment. Those medical services would be available locally, and so it would not be necessary for the president or ministers or other high public officials to go abroad for medical treatment.“
Mr. President, has your stance on this issue changed? Is UGMC no longer good enough to cater to the health needs of Ghana’s political and social elite? You once championed the vision of making Ghana a healthcare hub, a destination where even neighbouring countries could seek specialised treatment. Yet, today, your own vice president is flown “abroad” for medical care, and Ghanaians are left to guess which country has become the go-to hospital for our leaders. Should we still believe in your vision when your actions suggest otherwise? Is it that Ghana lacks the specialists to handle the veep’s condition, or are our facilities simply inadequate? If so, whose responsibility is it to fix them?
In Ending
I appreciate your communication outfit’s attempt at transparency and accountability in reporting to the nation that the Vice President is seeking medical care abroad. However, the press release was just too scanty to provide the exact reasoning for the need for foreign care or which country she was traveling to.
It is time to take decisive action. Enact policies that prevent government officials from seeking non-emergency medical treatment abroad when local facilities are available. Invest in our healthcare system to ensure it meets global standards, equip hospitals with modern technology, and empower our medical professionals with the best training. Establish transparency and accountability in healthcare management, so citizens can trust the system meant to serve them. Most importantly, lead by example. When leaders entrust their health to Ghanaian facilities, the public will follow suit. Engage with healthcare professionals to understand their challenges and craft sustainable solutions. Ghana’s health system should not just be good for the ordinary citizen—it should be good enough for our leaders too.
The vision you set forth with the inauguration of UGMC was a testament to what Ghana can achieve—a self-reliant healthcare system that caters to the needs of all its citizens. To realize this vision, it is imperative that our leaders not only invest in but also utilize these facilities. Only then can we truly build a healthcare system that is robust, reliable, and reflective of the aspirations of our nation.
I trust that you will give this matter the attention it deserves and take the necessary steps to align our healthcare practices with the vision of self-sufficiency and excellence that you championed.
I wish Her Excellency Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang a speedy recovery. We love her work,s and we wish to see her return to her office soon.
About the writer
Theodore Abiwu [Efo] Korku Mawutor is the National Convener for the Journalists in Social Protection (JISOP) Ghana. He is a Multimedia Journalist and a student of Political Communication
