Parliament has passed the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Bill, 2025 popularly known as the MahamaCares, under a certificate of urgency signaling a national commitment to dismantling long-standing barriers in specialized medical care.
The Bill paves the way for the creation of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, a statutory backing aimed at funding critical treatment for chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, kidney failure, and strokes.
According to a Health Committee report, these illnesses, often devastating and expensive to manage, have pushed countless households into poverty within five years of diagnosis,.
Chairman of the Health Committee, Nawaane Kurt Mark, emphasized the urgent need for intervention.
“This Fund will directly address systemic gaps including urban centered specialist services, inadequate diagnostic tools, and inaccessible data systems.”
Unlike existing health structures such as the NHIS, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund is laser-focused on high-cost, long-term care.
It will draw financial support from, 20% allocation from the National Health Insurance Fund, Government funding, voluntary contributions from citizens, corporate Ghana, and international donors.
It is also governed by a dedicated Board of Trustees tasked with ensuring transparency, accountability, and impact.
Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, on the floor of parliament proposed strategic amendments during the consideration stages, which were adopted after robust debate.
Initial concerns about duplication of services and funding sustainability were resolved, resulting in rare bipartisan support.
