Parliament has given the green light to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Bill, 2025, widely known as the Mahama Cares Programme, setting in motion the creation of a special fund to provide financial support for Ghanaians battling chronic and life-threatening illnesses including cancer, stroke, kidney failure, and diabetes.
The newly passed legislation marks a significant step toward expanding access to critical medical treatment for non-communicable diseases, which continue to place immense financial pressure on patients and their families.
But the bill’s passage was far from smooth. Sharp disagreements erupted during deliberations on the Health Committee’s report, particularly over a controversial clause that earmarks 20 percent of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) levy to fund the new Trust.
The Minority fiercely opposed this provision, warning that it would drain vital resources from the already overstretched NHIS. They argued that diverting a fifth of the NHIS levy would undermine the scheme’s capacity to deliver on its core responsibility of providing essential healthcare to the wider population.
Despite the Minority’s resistance, the bill secured enough support to pass through a majority vote.
In the aftermath of the vote, Minister for Health Kwabena Mintah Akandoh defended the government’s strategy and provided insights into the policy’s financial framework.
According to the Minister, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund will offer much-needed relief to patients and families grappling with the high cost of specialised care. The fund is expected to cover part or the entirety of treatments, surgeries, and medications that are often inaccessible to average citizens due to prohibitive costs.
The rollout of the Mahama Cares Programme will be phased, with further clarity on implementation details — including eligibility requirements, management structure, and accountability mechanisms — to be provided through subsidiary legislation and operational guidelines.
