The Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Cares, has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that political affiliation does not determine access to life-saving medical support under the initiative.

The assurance was given by the Fund’s Administrator, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, during a stakeholder engagement at the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council on Thursday, October 8.

The engagement, hosted by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, marked the beginning of the Fund’s stakeholder sensitisation tour in the Greater Accra Region.

Speaking to regional officials and other stakeholders, Ms Darko-Opoku stressed that Mahama Cares operates on a strictly non-partisan basis, particularly where health and human life are concerned.

She said healthcare assistance would be determined by medical needs rather than political affiliations.

“There’s nothing political with what we do, and we want to emphasise that because when it comes to your health, there’s nothing like political colours,” she said.

She added that the Fund would not allow political considerations to influence decisions concerning the lives and wellbeing of Ghanaians.

Medical professionals to determine beneficiaries

Ms Darko-Opoku explained that qualified medical professionals would play the key role in assessing patients and determining those who qualify for support.

According to her, this approach would help protect vulnerable patients and their families from discrimination based on their political backgrounds.

She also stressed the need for the Fund’s operations to remain aligned with its core objective of providing meaningful healthcare support to Ghanaians.

Beyond settling individual medical bills, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund is also seeking to strengthen public healthcare facilities through the provision of critical equipment and infrastructure.

The Fund has identified the need for functional CT scanners, MRI machines and mammography units, particularly in response to the growing burden of chronic non-communicable diseases such as cancer and kidney disease.

Ms Darko-Opoku said the Fund would pursue strategic partnerships with private-sector organisations to improve diagnostic and treatment capacity in public hospitals.

One such partnership is a US$10 million commitment from the KGL Group towards the construction of a modern Diagnostic and Imaging Centre at Ridge Hospital.

The Greater Accra engagement forms part of Mahama Cares’ nationwide sensitisation campaign aimed at reducing the financial burden associated with specialised treatment for chronic diseases.

The initiative is expected to provide financial support for specialised healthcare services that are not adequately covered under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), creating an additional safety net for vulnerable patients.

The Ghana Medical Trust Fund is undertaking a 16-region sensitisation tour, with a focus on strengthening healthcare institutions, improving transparency, using clinical data to guide decisions and promoting fair access to specialised healthcare across the country.