The Health Policy Adviser for the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares), Dr. Nobert Kipo, has stated that the 2026 budgetary allocation to the Fund is a sign of the government’s commitment to making the treatment of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) accessible and affordable.
Dr. Kipo emphasized that the goal of the fund is not just to cover the medical and treatment expenses of patients but also to provide the required equipment for health facilities.
“Our mandate goes beyond the financial protection we are giving patients. It delves into areas like equipment for hospitals, because to be able to offer specialized care, you have to make sure that your hospitals are at a level to provide it.”
Dr. Nobert Kipo, Health Policy Adviser, Ghana Medical Trust Fund
He further emphasized that this financial injection goes to show that it’s not just about establishing a fund, but then “there is commitment in the form of financial resources to ensure that we are able to reach this mandate of supporting our patients financially.”
The Ghana Medical Trust Fund was established by the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Act, 2025 (Act 1144), to guarantee sustainable financing in the treatment of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and specialized medical services.
The main aim of the fund is to mobilize resources to support the specialized care of patients with chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
According to the finance minister, the fund will introduce an NCD financing policy that defines eligible conditions, approved service lists, tariffs, and essential medicines.
Dr. Kipo noted the catastrophic costs that come with the treatment of non-communicable diseases, stating that it often drives many patients and their families below the poverty line.
“Research has shown that not only the individuals but also the entire families—about 75% of them—are drawn below the lines of poverty within the first five years after a diagnosis.”
Dr. Nobert Kipo, Health Policy Adviser, Ghana Medical Trust Fund
He further noted that while there is the need to cover the cost of treatment for patients, there is also the need to make sure such treatment is not just affordable but also accessible.
He noted that in some parts of the country, there are no machines to cater for specialized treatment of patients.
“When a patient up north is diagnosed with a cancer and has to undergo one of the treatment options, which is radiotherapy, we don’t have any machine in the north. So, they have to either come to Okomfo Anokye or Kolebu.”
Dr. Nobert Kipo, Health Policy Adviser, Ghana Medical Trust Fund
He noted that due to limited facilities for the treatment of most of the NCDs covered under the fund, it sometimes leads to pressures whereby some patients will have to be on a waiting list for longer periods.
“So, if you roll out the program where you are paying for the bills of patients and they go to the hospitals in the north and they can’t access that, then it becomes a challenge. And these are barriers that prevent patients from getting it.”
Dr. Nobert Kipo, Health Policy Adviser, Ghana Medical Trust Fund
Dr. Kipo further emphasized that this commitment from the government will ensure that the fund properly carries out its two-sided mandate.
This mandate involves making the specialized treatment of NCDs affordable by paying the medical bills of patients and making treatment accessible by equipping health facilities with the required equipment.
He also noted that the Fund is currently engaging the National Insurance Authority to ascertain its coverage so that the Fund can also design a framework that clearly creates a distinction between the two institutions.
He emphasized that this will prevent duplicity of roles between them and ensure that all patients access fair treatment.
For the eligibility criteria, he stated that first, patients have to be Ghanaian and be registered on the National Health Insurance Scheme.
He added that when patients go through the health system and are diagnosed with an NCD, the patients’ doctors will have to write to the Fund.
“It will come out in two forms where patients are automatically onboarded based on the condition they have. And the instance where patients will have to apply to the fund, particularly if there isn’t any designated benefits package for that specific condition.”
Dr. Nobert Kipo, Health Policy Adviser, Ghana Medical Trust Fund
He therefore explained that the full clarity on the process of being onboarded on the MahamaCares will be communicated to the Ghanaian people, as the rolloutof the program starts from the beginning of next year.
READ ALSO: Police Service Joins ADB’s Transformation Wave After IGP’s Glowing Endorsement
