Telecommunication giant Telecel Group has taken a bold step in the fight against cervical cancer in Ghana with the donation of cutting-edge diagnostic equipment and a nationwide campaign to provide free screening for women in three major hospitals.
The initiative, executed in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (Mahama Cares), marks one of the most ambitious corporate-backed health interventions aimed at combating one of Ghana’s deadliest but most preventable diseases.
Under the project, Telecel has handed over state-of-the-art digital colposcopes, HPV testing kits, and biopsy instruments to three major hospitals — the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital, and Sefwi Wiawso Government Hospital.
5,000 women to be screened in first year
The donation is part of a wider effort to screen at least 5,000 women in the first year, while extending cervical cancer testing and awareness campaigns to underserved communities through mobile clinics and telemedicine platforms managed by the Telecel Ghana Foundation.
Speaking at the official handover ceremony in Accra, Telecel Group CEO, Mr. Moh Damush, said the initiative represents the company’s deep commitment to empowering women and strengthening the healthcare system across Africa.
“We are proud to see this project come to life to strengthen Ghana’s ability to detect and prevent cervical cancer, which is one of the most devastating diseases affecting women. We will continue to invest in the lives and potential of people, particularly women, who are the social and economic pillars of every African community,” Mr. Damush declared.
The project is the first major health intervention under the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (Mahama Cares), a new fund dedicated to improving healthcare infrastructure and access to diagnostic services nationwide.
Early detection and treatment
The collaboration between Telecel, the Trust Fund, and the Ministry of Health is expected to significantly enhance Ghana’s capacity for early detection and treatment of cervical cancer, a disease that kills thousands of women each year due to late diagnosis.
Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah-Akandoh, commended Telecel for its foresight and humanitarian spirit, describing the partnership as “a life-saving intervention.”
“The installed cervical cancer equipment here at Korle-Bu, Sefwi Wiawso, and Tamale hospitals will give women a fighting chance at early detection. It means fewer late diagnoses and fewer painful losses,” the Minister said.
2,000 undiagnosed cases
“We expect at least 2,000 undiagnosed cases of cervical cancer to be detected each year and more than 10,000 women to benefit directly from screening and early intervention in two years.”
To ensure the sustainability of the project, Telecel also trained healthcare professionals at the beneficiary hospitals on the use and maintenance of the equipment.
The company emphasised that this was not a one-off donation but part of a long-term partnership to build local capacity and sustain cervical cancer prevention efforts.
In her remarks, the CEO of Telecel Ghana, Ing. Patricia Obo-Nai, encouraged Ghanaian women to take advantage of the new facilities and prioritise regular screening.
“This is a deliberate investment in health infrastructure to reduce late diagnosis of the disease,” she said.
“I would like to urge every woman in Ghana between the ages of 21 and 65 to go for cervical cancer screening at least every three years. Early detection, we are told, can save our lives.”
Cervical cancer remains a major public health challenge in Ghana.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it is the second most common cancer among Ghanaian women, yet fewer than 1% of women undergo screening.
2,000 women die each year
Each year, over 3,000 women are diagnosed with the disease, and nearly 2,000 die, mostly because of late detection.
Sustained investment in screening, vaccination, and public awareness is essential if Ghana is to meet the WHO’s global target of screening 70% of women by the ages of 35 and 45.
Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Madam Obuobia Darko-Opoku, expressed deep gratitude to Telecel for what she described as a model example of corporate social responsibility driven by compassion and integrity.
“Telecel pledged to support the fight against cervical cancer by providing screening equipment across selected hospitals. True to their word, they have delivered,” Madam Darko-Opoku said.
“From Korle-Bu to Tamale and Sefwi Wiawso, the installations have begun turning promises into purpose, and compassion into care. Today, we celebrate not just a partnership, but a demonstration of integrity and shared responsibility.”
Beyond the donation, Telecel’s broader vision is to use technology to bridge healthcare gaps, particularly for women in rural areas who often lack access to medical screening and follow-up care.
Through its telemedicine network, the company plans to connect regional hospitals with specialists in Accra to ensure accurate diagnoses and continuous monitoring.
As the equipment becomes fully operational across the three hospitals, thousands of women will have access to early screening and treatment, preventing avoidable deaths and preserving families and communities.
The initiative not only underscores Telecel’s growing influence as a socially responsible telecommunications brand but also reinforces the company’s belief that connectivity goes beyond communication — it saves lives.
