President of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, has launched a bold new health initiative aimed at easing the financial burden on Ghanaians battling chronic and life-threatening illnesses.
The initiative, named the Ghana Medical Trust Fund – Mahama Cares, was unveiled at a ceremony held at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) in Accra.
The Mahama Cares Fund is specifically designed to provide financial assistance to patients suffering from serious non-communicable diseases such as kidney failure, cancer, and heart disease, conditions that often impose crushing costs on patients and their families.
In a deeply emotional address at the launch, President Mahama recounted personal experiences with chronic illness, underscoring the urgency and human cost that these diseases inflict on Ghanaian families.
“I have a personal connection to non-communicable diseases,” he said. “My father died of prostate cancer in 2001.
My mother passed in 2016 due to complications from high blood pressure and diabetes. My stepmother died of breast cancer. These are not distant stories. They are close to us.”
Mahama also paid tribute to Mawuena Dumor, a former aide who passed away from breast cancer, and shared the heart-wrenching story of a close political ally from Bole Bamboi who lost his life after years of struggling with kidney failure due to the high cost and inaccessibility of dialysis treatment in northern Ghana.
“He had to travel from Bole Bamboi to Kumasi every week for dialysis because there was none available north of Kumasi,” Mahama explained.
“He sold his motorbike and television to survive, and eventually had to move his entire family to Kumasi to stay close to treatment. In the end, he died in poverty, having spent everything he had.”
President Mahama stressed that no Ghanaian should have to choose between life-saving treatment and financial ruin.
“These are not statistics—we are talking about real lives. That’s why this Fund is so important.”
Mahama stated that the Mahama Cares Fund will eventually be integrated into a broader Primary Health Care Project, which is expected to launch soon, aimed at improving accessibility and preventive care across the country.
The launch event drew health professionals, policymakers, patients, and members of the public, all echoing a shared hope: that with initiatives like Mahama Cares, Ghana can build a more equitable and compassionate healthcare system.
“This Fund is a commitment to the belief that healthcare must be accessible to all,regardless of income or background,” Mahama concluded.
