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 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.