Cases of chronic kidney disease are fast rising nationwide, and experts have expressed concern.

A report from myjoyonlinenews suggests that out of every five people sampled in Ghana, at least one person is likely to be suffering from kidney disease, without knowing they have the condition.

Because many do not know they are living with the disease, they turn up at hospitals when it has reached its final stages, where dialysis or a kidney transplant becomes the most convenient treatment option.

According to a Consultant Nephrologist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Mensah Amoah, the growing burden is no longer confined to a few specialist facilities.

"Countrywide, not just at Korle Bu, hospitals are recording very high numbers of kidney disease cases. Clinicians are increasingly diagnosing glomerular disease conditions that damage the kidneys' filtering units in communities where such cases were previously uncommon," he said.

He believes environmental factors, including pollution from illegal mining activities, are contributing to the trend alongside established risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes.

“Beyond hypertension and diabetes, pollution from illegal mining activities is worsening the situation. Heavy metals in contaminated water sources are directly damaging kidney function.”

One of the major challenges medical experts say Ghana’s health system is currently facing is delayed diagnosis.

Consequently, he urged Ghanaians to undergo routine medical screening, particularly annual health checks that include kidney function tests, blood pressure monitoring and blood sugar assessments.

Health professionals are also encouraging healthier lifestyles through regular physical activity, balanced diets and better management of chronic conditions to reduce the risk of kidney failure.

The warning comes amid growing concern over the country's capacity to manage the rising number of patients requiring specialised renal care, with dialysis remaining inaccessible for many because of cost and limited treatment centres.

Meanwhile, the government has unveiled the Mahama Cares Ghana Medical Trust Fund, a new program dedicated to providing financial aid to those battling with chronic conditions like kidney failure, cancer, and heart diseases.

The fund is designed 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 emphasised 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 fund. This, he explained, will unlock substantial resources for the fund.

“Most importantly, the uncapping of the capping of the national health insurance fund has been removed. This move has unlocked substantial resources to ensure