The Ghana Medical Trust Fund has begun engagements with pharmaceutical partners as part of preparations to roll out patient support programmes aimed at improving access to quality and affordable healthcare across the country.

In line with this objective, the Administrator of the Fund, Madam Oboubia Darko Opoku, on Monday held initial discussions with representatives of the Global Pharmaceutical Company Novartis to explore areas of collaboration that would enable Ghanaians to access essential medicines more quickly and at reduced cost.

According to the Fund, partnerships with established pharmaceutical firms are critical to ensuring that patients benefit from high-quality medicines while easing the financial burden on households, particularly those managing chronic and life-threatening conditions.

Madam Opoku said the discussions focused on the framework for cooperation, supply arrangements, and mechanisms to ensure the timely distribution of medicines to patients nationwide once the Trust Fund’s support schemes are fully operational.

She noted that such engagements are part of a broader strategy to build sustainable partnerships that deliver tangible health benefits to citizens.

It added that continued dialogue with key stakeholders will help ensure that support reaches patients in practical ways that have a real impact on lives.

The initiative forms part of the government’s wider healthcare agenda aimed at strengthening social protection and improving health outcomes, with the Trust Fund reaffirming its commitment to patient-centred care under the “Mahama Cares” policy direction.