Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen (Lead Writer)
For two long years, Hansawu, a mother from Tishigu in Ghana’s Northern region, witnessed her young son, Umar’s, health decline. Despite numerous hospital visits and doctors’ consultations, Umar’s symptoms were still undiagnosed.
Frustration and desperation grew as Umar’s stomach swelled, accompanied by a variety of unusual symptoms that evaded diagnosis. Hansawu, in her desperation, turned to traditional healers, only to be met with disappointment.
Image credit: Hereafter Project
Doctors at Tamale Teaching Hospital eventually diagnosed Umar with Hirschsprung Disease, a condition causing intestinal blockage that severely impairs normal bowel movements. Umar’s treatment began with a colostomy surgery, creating an abdominal opening to facilitate waste elimination.
Umar’s road to recovery was tough, and his mother, Hansawu, faced immense challenges in raising money for his treatment. Determined to give her son a healthy life, Hansawu resorted to begging in marketplaces, humbly accepting whatever people gave her, including coins.
In Ghana, out-of-pocket healthcare payments remain a significant portion of total healthcare expenditure. In 2021 alone, Ghanaians directed slightly over 27% of their spending towards healthcare. This includes payments for services, supplies, and medications, even when covered under its National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
In September 2023, Hereafter Ghana also known as My Hereafter Project (MHP) heard of Umar’s story and stepped in, providing the necessary financial resources to complete a reversal surgery and provided ₵10,000 (₦1,054,620) for medications, food, and other needs for his family. With oversight from medical doctors at Tamale Teaching Hospital, the organisation ensured a smooth process.
“Their support is what saved my son. Everything I did would have been in vain if they hadn’t stepped in to help,” Hansawu stated.
My Hereafter Project
In their final year at Senior High School, Nuhu Halima Sadia, the founder of MHP and friends noticed many students leaving behind food and useful items. So, they collected everything still in good condition and donated them to an orphanage, an experience that opened their eyes to the impact of giving and sparked the beginning of their charitable journey.
That single act of kindness led to the creation of MPH — a youth-led movement that now regularly supports individuals, orphanages, prisons, hospitals, and vulnerable communities across Ghana.
MHP has offered financial support to nearly 168 individuals across Ghana, benefiting from the organisation’s crowdfunding initiatives. Halima, who is also a Health Education Specialist, uses various platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Global Giving, to actively seek donations from the public.
Over the past decade, MHP has raised ₵600,000 (approximately ₦ 63,910,707.5) to address urgent healthcare needs for children requiring immediate treatment. With donations ranging from ₵10 to ₵50 and beyond, Halima and her dedicated team have been able to gather the necessary funds within days, weeks, or even months, earning recognition for their efforts.
Halima’s mission is to champion equitable access to healthcare, particularly in rural communities where medical services are scarce. “No other developmental intervention will take root if the people are not healthy,” she emphasised.
Reaching people in need through recommendations
MHP has made a significant impact in saving lives, often receiving referrals from health workers and social media networks for critical cases. “When they identify a patient from [their] ward who genuinely cannot afford medication, they reach out or recommend that we help such patient,” she stated.
“I prioritise cases involving children, as well as those where a mother’s life is at risk. Their lives are more vulnerable,” she explained, adding that, in her experience, children and mothers face unique challenges in healthcare, often requiring urgent and specialised attention.
Halima believes that providing timely support not only saves lives but also strengthens the community by ensuring the well-being of its most vulnerable members. This dedication to maternal and child health has become a cornerstone of MHP’s mission, allowing the organisation to make a lasting impact in the lives of many families. “We cover the costs of surgeries, medications, discharge bills, and other related expenses,” she stated.
In addition to providing immediate medical support, the organisation has a project that registers clients for health insurance. To date, about 5,400 people, including women, the elderly and children, have been enrolled in the NHIS, ensuring they have access to essential healthcare when needed.
Image credit: Hereafter Project
MHP plans to establish a facility dedicated to providing essential services, particularly to the most vulnerable members of society, at no cost. This initiative aims to contribute to the national healthcare goals, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3.
Only treatments under ₵100,000
Every day, MHP faces new challenges as the organisation continues to receive referrals of patients in need of urgent care. Some medical conditions require huge amounts of money to cover their treatment, making it difficult for the organisation to afford.
Halima explained that helping such patients has become increasingly difficult. As a result, the organisation has adjusted its focus to support conditions requiring treatment under ₵100,000 (₦10,628,232).
“It has become increasingly difficult to manage the rising costs of treatment for such patients,” she explained. This shift in focus means that MHP will be unable to assist many cases with critical health issues, leaving families devastated and without the necessary support.
Halima also pointed out that MHP faces several limitations that impact their ability to respond to urgent needs. “Donor fatigue, the lack of diversified resources for emergency situations, and challenges with managing our donor database are all factors that hinder our efforts,” she said.
Halima indicated that plans were far advanced to collaborate with the regional and national NHIS secretariats to extend coverage from 6,000 people to up to one million. However, due to a change in government, the process had to restart to ensure effective collaboration.