The Paediatric Oncology Unit of the Upper East Regional Hospital has launched the Upper East Childhood Cancer Support Fund (UECCSF) to help families overcome financial barriers that prevent children with suspected or confirmed cancer from accessing further care.
Since the Unit began providing services, it has assessed 34 children with suspected cancer, 25 of whom required referral for further evaluation or specialist care.
However, only 14 of the 25 children completed their referrals, while 11 were unable to do so.
According to the Unit, financial difficulties, including the cost of transportation, food, accommodation and other expenses associated with travelling to referral centres, are among the barriers preventing some families from completing referrals.
The initiative forms part of Gold Ribbon Upper East 2026, a Childhood Cancer Awareness Month programme focused on improving awareness, early recognition, referral and access to childhood cancer care in the region.
The Unit said its experience has shown that identifying a child with suspected cancer does not necessarily mean the child will reach the next stage of care, particularly when families cannot afford the associated costs.
In one case, a child who had been referred for further care could not immediately make the journey because the family was unable to afford transportation. The referral was delayed and the child later died.
Healthcare workers at the Unit have sometimes used their own money to support families facing such difficulties, but the team says relying on personal contributions from staff is not sustainable.
The UECCSF is therefore intended to provide a more structured source of support for families whose financial circumstances could interrupt investigations, referrals or treatment.
The Fund will not replace existing healthcare financing interventions such as the National Health Insurance Scheme or the Ghana Medical Trust Fund. Instead, it is intended to complement them by addressing practical expenses that may remain even when medical services are covered.
Paediatric Oncology Nurse at the Upper East Regional Hospital, Jonah Awinbe Ayamba, and his colleagues believe the Fund could help ensure that a lack of money for basic expenses does not prevent children from reaching the care they need.
The Unit is consequently appealing to individuals, businesses, philanthropists, corporate organisations, NGOs, professional associations, faith-based organisations, community groups and development partners to contribute to the Fund.
Donations will be received through the Upper East Regional Hospital’s established institutional mechanism for receiving and accounting for donor support.
Prospective donors are encouraged to contact the Paediatric Oncology Unit for guidance on the appropriate process through 0544219505, 0204703873 or 0242720543.
For the Unit, the message of Gold Ribbon Upper East 2026 goes beyond recognising the signs of childhood cancer early. It is also about ensuring that once a child is identified and referred, financial hardship does not prevent them from reaching the care they need.
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