Member of Parliament for Kwadaso, Professor Kingsley Nyarko, has sharply criticised the newly approved Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly dubbed the ‘MahamaCares’ Programme, branding it “completely needless and unnecessary.”
The 2025 Bill, which has just been passed into law, aims to create a dedicated fund to support Ghanaians suffering from chronic non-communicable diseases such as cancer, kidney failure, diabetes, and stroke. While its backers say it will expand access to critical healthcare, Prof. Nyarko believes the goal could have been achieved without a separate fund.
“For me, I think it is completely needless and unnecessary because we have the National Health Insurance Scheme. This bill seeks to provide medical support to persons who have non-communicable diseases, largely,” he said during an interview with Channel One TV on Tuesday, July 22.
He argued that rather than setting up a new structure, the existing National Health Insurance Act could have simply been amended to include coverage for chronic diseases. “The current Health Insurance Act could be amended to cater for this ailment. Simple. You do not need a sacred intervention to achieve that,” he stressed.
Prof. Nyarko went further to question the intent behind the legislation, implying it was more about securing political recognition for former President John Dramani Mahama than solving urgent health problems.
The newly established Ghana Medical Trust Fund is designed to ease the financial burden on patients facing life-threatening illnesses. To access support, applicants must be NHIS members, hold Ghanaian citizenship, and present a certified diagnosis from a specialist. Responses from the Fund are expected within 14 days of application submission.
Despite its passage, the Bill has generated political division. During Parliamentary debate on Monday, July 21, Minority MPs voiced concern over the decision to divert 20% of NHIS revenue to finance the Trust Fund. They warned that such a move could impair the NHIS’s ability to deliver on its original mandate.
The approval of the Fund has sparked a renewed conversation about health financing and the sustainability of Ghana’s social protection framework, with critics warning of duplication and blurred priorities.
