Parliament has given the green light to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Bill, 2025 - widely referred to as the Mahama Cares Programme - setting the stage for a national fund dedicated to supporting patients battling chronic and life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, kidney failure, diabetes, and stroke.
The bill's approval, though significant, came amid sharp disagreement.
The Minority Caucus raised serious objections to the decision to finance the fund by diverting 20 percent of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) levy.
They warned that this move could undercut the NHIS, which is already struggling with limited resources and systemic inefficiencies. "This could cripple the NHIS's ability to deliver basic healthcare to the wider population," Minority MPs argued during the debate.
