President John Dramani Mahama has revealed that he often ran out of the operating theatre whenever his wife underwent a caesarean section.

He shared this at the 66th Annual Conference of the West African Association of Surgeons (WAAS) at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) on Monday, February 9, 2026, where he was named Grand Patron and admitted as an honorary fellow.

“Let me thank you very much for the honour done me, but I wonder if I actually deserve to be a fellow of surgeons. My wife had to undergo several caesarean sections for all our children. As soon as the surgeon takes a knife and starts cutting, I run out of the operating theatre," he said.

The president also warned that the migration of skilled health professionals is weakening health systems across Africa. He urged governments to take practical steps to improve working conditions for health workers, stressing that retaining professionals is key to strengthening healthcare delivery.

President Mahama paid tribute to volunteer surgeons whose outreach services have brought relief and dignity to many patients across Ghana. He also commended the college for its long-standing role in training specialists in the sub-region, noting that many surgeons currently serving across West Africa were trained under its programmes.

Meanwhile, in April last year, a new program dedicated to providing financial aid to those battling with chronic conditions like kidney failure, cancer, and heart diseases, Mahama Cares Ghana Medical Trust Fund, was unveiled by government.

It was also initiated to alleviate the financial burden faced by patients in need of life-saving medical care.

The event marking the launch took place at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) in Accra on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. The ceremony saw the attendance of key stakeholders from the healthcare sector and the corporate world.

President John Dramani Mahama, who officially introduced the fund, called on the private sector to support Mahama Cares as part of their corporate social responsibility.

“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. 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. 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,” he stated.

The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, expressed his support for the initiative, describing it as long overdue. He emphasized that the fund would ensure equitable access to healthcare, particularly for individuals facing financial barriers to treatment.

“The draft bill for the Mahama Care is ready and will be submitted immediately Parliament resumes,” he confirmed.

Akandoh also announced a significant policy change to strengthen the programme, revealing that the government has removed the capping of the national health insurance firm. This, he explained, will unlock substantial resources for the fund.

“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 added.

The Mahama Cares fund is expected to play a pivotal role in enhancing healthcare access for many Ghanaians, particularly those battling chronic diseases and unable to afford the necessary medical treatment.

Nonetheless, the initiative sprung into action ahead of its official rollout, providing immediate and life-saving support to a two-year-old child battling a rare form of cancer in December last year.

The case of young Meshack, who was afflicted with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive soft-tissue cancer, was brought to the attention of the Trust Fund last week.

The organization responded with remarkable speed and commitment.

​Within 24 hours of learning about the child’s plight, the Trust Fund established contact with the family to assure them of comprehensive support.

In just 48 hours, the Administrator, Obuobia Darko-Opoku, led the GMTF team to the Oncology Unit of the Department of Child Health at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

​During the visit, a cheque presentation was made to the family, officially initiating the funding for Meshack’s full treatment plan. This plan includes a critical multi-phase regimen of chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, and essential supportive care.

​A representative for the GMTF noted that while the organization’s benefits package is not yet formally operational, “our core mission is already tangible in moments like this. When a young life hangs in the balance, we believe in moving with compassion, speed and unwavering purpose.”

​The prompt intervention underscores the driving principle of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund: to be a source of hope that arrives exactly when it is needed most, demonstrating that the ‘MahamaCares’ philosophy is already translating into action.

MahamaCares is a landmark initiative introduced by the government to decisively confront the growing burden of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs).