In an event held at the University of Ghana Medical Centre, President John Dramani Mahama has officially launched the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, dubbed MahamaCares, a landmark intervention to support the treatment of non-communicable diseases (NCDS) in Ghana.
The initiative, described as “more than an initiative; a launch of hope,” seeks to bridge the chronic funding and service gaps in Ghana’s healthcare system by offering financial relief and specialised care to patients battling NCDS such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney failure, and stroke.
President Mahama, visibly moved and speaking with personal conviction, opened his speech by reflecting on his own painful encounters with NCDs within his family and inner circle.
“In the past, the perception was that hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes were diseases of the rich. But increasingly, we see that it’s inflicting more people who are much poorer and can least afford to be able to manage those diseases. And that’s why the Ghana Medical Trust Fund has come at the right time.
“I have a personal connection to noncommunicable diseases, and that is because my father died in February 2001, and he died of prostate cancer. My mother died in 2016, and she died of complications of high blood pressure and diabetes. My stepmother died of breast cancer.”
HE President John Dramani Mahama
He also paid tribute to his former aide, Mawuena Dwumor, who succumbed to breast cancer a year ago, and noted that a current staff member’s son is undergoing dialysis in his early thirties.
These experiences, the President said, underscore the urgency of prioritizing NCDs in Ghana’s national health response.
”These are things that are close to us. These are loved ones that we’re talking about. And so, like, the chair of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Taskforce, Professor Ayittey, said these are not just statistics; we must see them as real lives that we need to touch and help.”
HE President John Dramani Mahama
With this context, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund—a flagship campaign promise enshrined in the 2024 People’s Manifesto of the National Democratic Congress—has been operationalised.
According to President Mahama, immediately upon assuming office, he directed Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh to spearhead its formation.
Taskforce Report
A national technical task force led by Reverend Emeritus Professor Seth Ayittey was subsequently established, with the task submitting its final report in April 2025, laying the groundwork for the fund’s legislative and operational blueprint.
“Today, we are launching more than an initiative; we are launching hope for thousands of Ghanaians suffering from chronic diseases and battling the overwhelming cost of their care.
“The Ghana Medical Trust Fund will support specialist-level treatment for a range of chronic diseases, including cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney failure, stroke, and other complications.”
HE President John Dramani Mahama
The President noted that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund is designed to function as an independent statutory trust governed by a board of trustees and supported by an administrative secretariat, third-party administrators, and patient navigators.
According to him, the fund will provide specialist-level treatment funding, convalescent care, palliative services, and home-based support—areas currently underfunded or excluded from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Critically, President Mahama noted that while about 40% of NHIS allocations in 2018 were NCD-related, essential NCD medications and services still remain outside NHIS coverage. This new fund directly targets those gaps.
President’s Donation and Call for Coporate Support
To demonstrate his personal commitment, President Mahama pledged to donate six months of his salary to the fund.
He also issued a rallying call to corporate Ghana—especially the banking sector, mining companies, and other major industries—to integrate support for the fund into their annual corporate social responsibility budgets.
President Mahama further pointed out that initial projections estimate that the fund will require GHS 3 billion in its first three years.
Primary funding sources, he noted, will include the uncapped portion of the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL), direct government budget support, voluntary contributions from corporate Ghana and individuals, grants, donations, and returns on strategic investments.
In ensuring cost-effectiveness, President Mahama emphasized the need for strategic procurement policies such as framework contracting and access pricing.
A key element of the fund’s sustainability plan involves boosting local pharmaceutical production.
“I spoke to the minister and asked if we could encourage our local pharmaceutical industries to increase the availability of generic drugs, which are much cheaper than the imported drugs.
“I know because I paid for my mother’s diabetes drugs, and I know the difference between the imported drugs and the difference in cost. And so if we can encourage our pharmaceutical industry to produce generic versions of those drugs, it will bring the cost much lower”.
HE President John Dramani Mahama
The President also called for a robust nationwide awareness campaign to address lifestyle-related triggers of NCDs.
While acknowledging that some diseases may have genetic causes, he stressed that many are lifestyle-related and preventable. “If people just know their risk factors and make changes, we can reduce the disease burden dramatically,” he said.
In closing, President Mahama paid tribute to all individuals and organisations that contributed to the development of the fund, from health professionals to religious leaders and development partners.
“Your dedication has translated a manifesto promise into a tangible, life-changing reality,” he said. With the bill establishing the Ghana Medical Trust Fund ready and scheduled for parliamentary presentation at the end of the next legislative session, Mahama’s government has signalled both intent and urgency.
The launch of MahamaCares not only addresses a critical gap in Ghana’s healthcare system but positions the country as one taking concrete steps to confront the growing burden of non-communicable diseases with compassion, accountability, and foresight.
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