The Ministry of Health has announced the free treatment of cancer patients under the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares).
At the ministry’s maiden National Cancer Forum, the Chief Director of the Ministry, Mr. Desmond Boateng, on behalf of the Minister for Health, announced that beginning next year, all cancer treatments in Ghana will be fully covered under the Ghana Medical Trust Fund.
The Forum was held under the theme “Transforming Cancer Care in Ghana: A Roadmap for Sustainable Prevention, Early Detection, Equitable Treatment, and a Resilient System.”
The ministry’s partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), development agencies, civil society groups, teaching hospitals, and clinical experts, were all represented.
Participants discussed gaps and opportunities in cancer prevention, screening, and treatment, highlighting the importance and necessity of the government’s initiative.
The ministry hailed the new cancer care policy as a “historic shift toward true equity in healthcare,” emphasizing its transformative impact on the lives of Ghanaians.
Under this initiative, every citizen diagnosed with cancer will gain access to comprehensive, lifesaving treatment without the burden of catastrophic out-of-pocket expenses.
The ministry stated that the program covers the entire continuum of care, including diagnostics, imaging, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, and supportive services.
The ministry emphasized that by removing financial barriers, the policy ensures that no patient is denied treatment due to cost, marking a bold step toward universal health coverage and a more just, compassionate healthcare system in Ghana.
With a reliable supply of affordable, high-quality pediatric cancer drugs, these measures represent a bold commitment to equitable healthcare.
The event also marked the official start of developing a new Five-Year National Cancer Strategy (2026–2030).
This is noted to be a framework designed to improve early detection, strengthen governance, coordinate stakeholder roles, and build a resilient, people-centered cancer care system nationwide.
The Deputy Minister for Health, Hon. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan, also shared her cancer treatment experiences with participants.
She urged health experts to lend their support to the government on this journey of winning the war against cancer.
“I stand here not only as a Deputy Minister of Health or as a politician, as you said, but I also stand here as one of you because I have been through everything that most of you have been through here.”
Hon. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, Deputy Minister for Health and Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan
She noted that the ministry has been tasked to rally the opinions of experts on the best possible ways of handling some of the measures required to roll out the program.
She further highlighted some of the inadequacies of cancer treatment equipment in many parts of the country, noting that only Kumasi and Accra provide treatment properly.
She noted this is a challenge for many, as they struggle to access treatment and will sometimes not know where to get the necessary guidance.
She further noted that the MahamaCares initiative would be making interventions with respect to providing major treatment equipment for health facilities to streamline treatment across the country.
The minister also called on experts to support the government to better roll out the policy in a shape that will best serve the Ghanaian people.
“I pray and I beg all of you, pleading that you let’s accept it and help us help the system, help us help the country. Because what you tell us, the practitioners on the ground, is what we will use to make sure that this program works. Because it will be very beneficial to this country.”
Hon. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, Deputy Minister for Health and Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan
She also highlighted the importance of the free primary healthcare policy for the early detection of cancer.
She emphasized that with primary healthcare being freely accessible, “we will pick up the cancers from that level before they end up in our consultation room.”
“If we can pick it up from the community, if we can pick it up from the chips compound, if we can pick it up from the health center or the district hospital, I think that we can mitigate a lot of the issues that are happening once these cancers reach the end stage.”
Hon. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, Deputy Minister for Health and Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan
She therefore indulged health professionals to ensure that when they have patients, they should ensure they have empathy, emphasizing that how they treat patients is very important.
“Let’s care about them, and let’s make sure that we get good health for all Ghanaians.” She stated.
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