Eugene Ocansey exchanging the document with Dr. Emmily Naphambo
Access Bank (Ghana) Plc has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to improve maternal healthcare and end obstetric fistula in the country.
The agreement seeks to expand access to corrective surgeries, intensify public awareness campaigns and mobilise sustainable funding to eliminate obstetric fistula, a debilitating childbirth injury that affects thousands of women across the country.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Executive Director for Retail and SME Banking at Access Bank Ghana, Eugene Ocansey, who represented the Managing Director, Pearl Nkrumah, said the partnership reflected the bank’s commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable women through purposeful corporate social responsibility.
He said Access Bank had championed the Fight Against Fistula campaign since 2018, working with surgeons, nurses, development partners and advocates to restore hope and dignity to women living with the condition.
According to him, the latest agreement marks a transition from a campaign-driven approach to a more sustainable intervention through the establishment of the Fistula Trust Fund.
Mr. Ocansey explained that the Trust Fund would provide a transparent platform for individuals, institutions and corporate organisations to support corrective surgeries and rehabilitation for women affected by obstetric fistula.
He acknowledged the technical leadership of UNFPA as well as the contributions of founding partners, including Mercy Women’s Catholic Hospital and the Kaysens Group, towards strengthening Ghana’s response to the condition.
Access Bank has partnered with the Chango App to enable donations to the Trust Fund through the shortcode 8875727# to encourage public participation.
Mr Ocansey disclosed that the campaign had so far supported more than 250 successful corrective surgeries, describing each operation as a life-changing intervention that restored hope and dignity to beneficiaries.
The Deputy Representative of UNFPA Ghana, Dr. Emmily Naphambo, commended Access Bank for renewing its commitment to the initiative, stressing that collaboration among government, development partners and the private sector was essential to eliminating obstetric fistula.
She noted that the condition goes beyond physical injury, often leaving affected women to endure stigma, social isolation, loss of livelihoods and diminished self-worth.
“For every woman whose fistula is successfully repaired, we restore not only her health but also her dignity, productivity and place within her family and community,” she said.
Dr. Naphambo disclosed that the partnership aims to facilitate about 2,499 fistula repairs annually and eliminate a national backlog of 7,130 cases by 2030.
She added that efforts were also underway to integrate fistula repair services into routine healthcare delivery across health facilities instead of relying solely on periodic surgical outreach programmes.