The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has inaugurated the MahamaCares Technical Taskforce, a strategic body mandated to develop a framework for the Ghana Medical Care Trust Fund today, Wednesday, March 12, 2025.
The core objective of the MahamaCares initiative seeks to address the gaps in healthcare financing, particularly for chronic and life-threatening conditions such as cancer, kidney disease, and cardiovascular illnesses.
At the inauguration ceremony, the minister explained that while the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) covers general medical needs, it does not sufficiently address the high costs of specialised treatments. MahamaCares is designed to provide dedicated financial support to ensure that no Ghanaian is denied essential healthcare due to financial constraints.
He added “This is a collective effort. We need strong financial backing and expert contributions to make it work,” the Health Minister said.
Dr. Koku Awoonor, who represented the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, commended the President for this initiative saying “Non-communicable diseases put a heavy strain on families both psychologically and financially. Today’s event signals a new approach to making treatment more accessible’’.
The Technical Taskforce, chaired by Rev. Prof. Emeritus Seth Aryeetey, a former Provost of the College of Health Sciences, will be responsible for developing policy, securing sustainable funding, and ensuring equitable distribution of resources.
Other key members include;
– Prof. Emeritus Fred Binka, a public health expert;
– Prof. Margaret Kweku, a consultant in public health;
– Dr. Alfred Doku, a cardiologist; and
– Dr. Randolph Nsor-Ambala, a financial expert.
– Dr Anthony Gingong, representative of the NHIS Trust fund
– Dr. Anthony Seddoh is a Health Policy and Financing Expert
– Anna Pearl Akiwumi Siriboe is a lawyer and the Attorney General’s representative for the committee
– Dr Belinda Afriyie is a Public Health Consultant and the Secretary for the Taskforce.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
