Health Minister launches 'MahamaCares' initiative

The Minister for Health, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has inaugurated the Ghana Medical Care Trust Fund (MahamaCares) Taskforce to oversee the successful implementation of the initiative.

He highlighted that although the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has improved medical coverage, it does not completely ease the financial burden of treating chronic diseases.

“The Ghana Medical Trust Fund is a bold response to this challenge. Its purpose is clear: no Ghanaian should choose between their health and financial ruin,” he said.

He noted that the task force has been tasked with developing a strong policy and legal framework to establish MahamaCares as a statutory entity.

He stated that the team will be responsible for designing a sustainable funding model to ensure the long-term viability of the fund, setting clear eligibility and disbursement criteria to guarantee fairness, and evaluating Ghana’s healthcare infrastructure to recommend improvements for better accessibility.

The Chairman of the nine-member taskforce, Rev. Prof. Emeritus Seth Aryeetey, expressed his immense gratitude to the President and the Minister for the opportunity to serve. He assured that the taskforce would work diligently to ensure the success of the MahamaCares initiative and effectively deliver on its mandate.

The MahamaCares initiative of President John Dramani Mahama aims to provide dedicated financial support to individuals suffering from chronic and debilitating illnesses.

The initiative is designed to ensure fairness in healthcare access, particularly for those facing financial barriers to treatment.