The Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Cares, was officially launched on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) in Accra.
This initiative aims to provide financial support to individuals suffering from chronic diseases such as kidney failure, cancer, and heart conditions.
Former President John Dramani Mahama, who launched the fund, urged the private sector to commit to supporting Mahama Cares through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
“I want to encourage corporate Ghana, businesses, the mines, the banks, and all the other companies, that this Ghana Medical Trust Fund, is coming to your clients who save their monies in your banks or do business with you,” he said.
“Some of them are even your own staff. So, as part of your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), if you give anything, consider that you are giving to your own staff or customers” he added.
Mahama emphasized the importance of corporate support for the fund, stating, “So, I would like to encourage all corporations in Ghana, both private and public, to at the end of the year, donate some portion of their annual CSR to Ghana Medical Fund because it is going to do a lot of good to the country.”
Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, described the initiative as long overdue, designed to ensure fairness in healthcare access, particularly for those facing financial barriers to treatment.
He revealed that a draft bill detailing the management framework of the fund is ready and will be submitted to parliament soon.
“The draft bill for the Mahama Care is ready and will be submitted immediately Parliament resumes,” he stated.
Akandoh also highlighted a significant development in the national health insurance scheme, noting that the removal of the cap on the national health insurance firm has unlocked substantial resources to support the Mahama Care Programme.
“Most importantly, the uncapping of the capping of the national health insurance firm has been removed. This move has unlocked substantial resources to ensure that a dedicated allocation of funds will now support the Mahama Care Programme” he said.