Health Minister Kwabena Mintah AkandohThe Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has expressed concerns about the rising mortality rate from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), describing the trend as alarming.
According to him, NCDs now account for between 40 and 43 percent of the country’s total deaths. The situation, he noted, worsens when child mortality is excluded, pushing the figure to over 65 percent.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, July 22, Mr Akandoh said the development calls for urgent and targeted interventions to tackle chronic diseases, which he identified as a major challenge confronting the country’s health sector.
“We all know, and everyone here is somehow related to someone battling these types of chronic diseases. I’ve heard members say mortality from NCDs is 40 or 43 percent. The danger—and more alarmingly—when you take child mortality out of the statistics, we are hitting more than 65 per cent,” he stated.
The minister also dismissed claims that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as Mahama Cares, will compete with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
“People say the Ghana Medical Trust Fund is going to compete with the National Health Insurance Scheme. It was clear, even at the committee level, that this fund is dedicated to treating NCDs not captured by the NHIA. So where is the competition? There is absolutely no competition,” he added.
The Mahama Cares Fund is designed to complement the NHIS by focusing on diseases not covered under the National Health Insurance Authority.
It will take effect after Parliament passes the bill backing its establishment.
