CSOs commend President, Parliament for the passage of MahamaCares

By Albert Allotey

Accra, Aug. 6, GNA – The Ghana NCD Alliance, Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development, and other civil society organisations have commended President John Dramani Mahama and Parliament for the passage of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund popularly known as ‘MahamaCares’ into law.

“We the civil society actors and people living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) warmly welcome the Ghana Medical Trust Fund and receive this bold and timely intervention with profound gratitude and renewed hope,” they stated.

They said, “Transforming from a party campaign manifesto promise to its official launch and the successful passage of the Trust Fund in Parliament and receiving the President assent is a testament of the government commitment to reducing the catastrophic out-of-pocket expenses people living with NCDs and families face daily just to access treatment and care.”

This was in a joint statement copied to the Ghana News Agency by Mr Labram Musah, the National Coordinator, Ghana NCD Alliance, and the Executive Director, Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development (VAST-Ghana).

It noted that the President’s personal donation of his six months’ salary as seed fund reflects a profound understanding of the urgency of the NCDs crisis in Ghana.

“This act, combined with the establishment of a governing board to oversee the Fund’s implementation, signals a serious intent to ensure effective management of the Fund,” the statement added.

The statement further lauded the appointment of Madam Obuobia Darko-Opoku as the Administrator to lead the initiative by overseeing the implementation of the Trust Fund.

“This is a pivotal responsibility that offers an opportunity to build a robust and sustainable mechanism for NCD care in Ghana.

“We encourage Madam Obuobia to adopt a multisectoral approach – working hand-in-hand with ministries, agencies, civil society, professional associations, research/academic institutions, development partners and the relevant private sector.” It urged.

The statement said the establishment of the Trust Fund was a significant step toward addressing the long-standing challenges faced by individuals, families, and communities affected by NCDs, including diabetes, hypertension, cancers, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory conditions, and mental health disorders.

“For far too long, Ghanaians, particularly the poor, vulnerable, and underserved have borne the burden of inadequate access to essential NCD services, limited financial protection, and weak health system responsiveness,” it stated.

It noted that, “This initiative, supported by the proposed nationwide Free Primary Healthcare policy, has the potential to transform this narrative by promoting grassroots healthcare access and advancing broader health equity goals.”

The CSOs while commending the decisive action by the government raised concerns over the limited stakeholder engagement preceding the passage of the Trust Fund.

They said according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework, for meaningful engagement of people living with NCDs, it was essential that patients, caregivers, civil society, and professional bodies were meaningfully engaged in every step, from policy formulation through to implementation and monitoring, and that inclusion builds trust, ensures relevance, and improves accountability.

The statement noted that Clause ‘3’ of the Act leaves an open-ended provision for funding sources, stating that “Without explicit safeguards, the Fund risks infiltration by industries whose products – such as tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages are known contributors to NCDs.

“This Trust Fund must be protected from the vested interests of such industries. We strongly recommend developing a formal guideline for private sector engagement that prohibits or limits contributions from these harmful commodity industries,” it said.

The statement said to ensure the sustainability and independence of the Fund, at least 50 per cent of the excise tax revenues should be ring-fenced to support it, which aligned with global best practices and Ghana’s own commitment to health-promoting fiscal policies.

It called on the Ministry of Finance and Ghana Revenue Authority to increase the excise tax rates on health harm products, while rejecting any industry lobbying for tax reduction or scraping of the excise taxes.

“Additionally, a portion of other domestic revenues, such as gold revenue (as proposed by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association), could be allocated to strengthen the Fund’s resource base,” it suggested.

The CSOs expressed the hope that the operationalization of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund would be participatory, transparent, and evidence driven.

They recommended for the following that the government should protect the Trust Fund and other supplementary health policies from commercial interests of all unhealthy commodity industry

It should strengthen the decentralization measures highlighted in the Act to ensure that the Fund reaches those who really require the financial protection and support.

That the Fund must guarantee equitable access to NCD diagnostics, treatment, and care, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

It must increase the level of consultations and collaborations with civil society, research institutions, media, development partners, people living with NCDs and relevant private sector.

“We look forward to working collaboratively with all relevant ministries, agencies, and development partners to ensure the full success of this great initiative. Together, we can ensure that no one is left behind,” the CSOs assured.

GNA

Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade