The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has inaugurated a 13-member Board of Trustees of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as MahamaCares, an initiative designed to provide financial support for the treatment of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The Board of Trustees is mandated to ensure that the Fund operates in line with its objectives, acts in the best interests of beneficiaries, and fulfills its legal and fiduciary duties.
The newly inaugurated governing board is chaired by Lawyer Anthony Ashitei Lithur. Other members include Madam Adoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, Administrator of the Fund; Dr. Berlinda Afriyie Nimako, representative of the Ministry of Health; Mr. Patrick Nomo, representative of the Ministry of Finance; Ms. Nelly Bernice Wallace from the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection; and Dr. Victor Asare Bampoe, Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
The rest are Dr. Mohammed Sherif Abdul-Khalid, Member of Parliament; Dr. Yaw Adu-Agyei Gyamfi, representing the pharmaceutical industry; Prof. Alfred Doku, a health professional; Mrs. Ann Pearl Akiwumi Siriboe, legal practitioner; Dr. Linda Narh; Hon. Alfred Nii Kotey; and Mr. Godwin Ako Gunn, all representing the Office of the President.
In his address, Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh tasked members of the board to ensure that the objectives set out by President John Dramani Mahama are fully achieved.
“All of you have been carefully selected. The trust and confidence in you are not in doubt, and we believe this board will achieve the objectives set out by His Excellency the President. We all know the rate at which NCDs are claiming lives in Ghana is quite alarming. Statistics show that about 45 percent of our mortality rate is attributable to NCDs. In fact, I am told that one out of every three adults in Ghana has hypertension. There is an urgent need to act, hence the establishment of MahamaCares,” he said.
Chairman of the Board, Lawyer Tony Lithur, in his remarks, acknowledged concerns about potential implementation challenges such as financial sustainability, the impact of the Fund’s financing model on the NHIA’s operations, and fairness in selecting beneficiaries.
He, however, noted that the establishment Act (Act 1144) provides mechanisms to address these challenges.
“I believe that members of the Board understand the challenges ahead. This Board of Trustees hopes that, at the end of its tenure, it will have established enduring structures, programmes, protocols, and interventions necessary to fully realize the potential of this groundbreaking primary healthcare initiative,” he stated.
Lawyer Lithur emphasized that the board welcomes constructive criticism aimed not at undermining the programme, but at improving its operations for the benefit of all Ghanaians.
He also appealed to corporate Ghana and well-meaning individuals to contribute to the Fund.
“In the coming days, months, and years, we will be knocking on your doors to include annual or periodic donations to the Fund as part of your corporate social responsibility. Your assistance will not go unnoticed, as Section 22(2) of the Act states that, for tax purposes, ‘a person who donates to the Fund is entitled to claim a deduction equal to that donation made to the Fund,’” he concluded.
Story by: Eric Boateng
