Parliament has passed the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Bill, 2025 — popularly known as the Mahama Cares Programme — paving the way for the establishment of a dedicated fund to support specialised medical care for chronic and life-threatening conditions such as cancer, stroke, kidney failure, and diabetes.
The legislation seeks to improve access to critical healthcare services for Ghanaians battling non-communicable diseases by providing financial assistance through a specially designated trust.
However, the bill did not pass without contention. During debate on the Health Committee’s report, the Minority Caucus strongly objected to a key funding mechanism in the proposal: the allocation of 20 percent of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) levy to finance the operations of the new Trust Fund.
Minority MPs warned that diverting such a substantial portion of NHIS resources could significantly weaken the existing scheme, which already faces operational and funding challenges.
They argued that the move may cripple the NHIS’s ability to fulfil its mandate of providing essential healthcare services to the broader population.
Despite these concerns, the bill was approved by a majority vote.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the passage of the bill, Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, defended the government’s approach and outlined the financial requirements for implementing the policy.
The Ghana Medical Trust Fund, once operational, will focus on easing the financial burden on patients and their families by covering part or all of the cost of expensive treatments, surgeries, and medications that are often beyond the reach of ordinary citizens.
The programme is expected to roll out in phases, with additional details on its structure, eligibility criteria, and governance to be outlined in subsidiary legislation and operational guidelines.
