The Minority in Parliament is raising strong objections to the government’s newly launched Ghana Medical Care Trust Fund, citing inadequate stakeholder consultation and rushed implementation.
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr. Afriyie Ayew, criticised the initiative, which aims to mobilise GH₵3 billion to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs), saying the fund lacks a clear structure and direction.
The proposal, he noted, involves contributions from corporate institutions, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and the national budget.
“I don’t see it as a novelty if indeed it’s just going to look at cases that are purely clinical and that can be taken.
“I think that they were going to exercise what they did for the economic dialogue session, that could be one for the health finance session, where people can bring their minds, and then it would be a very competitive and interesting stakeholder session.”
He is instead advocating for the establishment of a dedicated fund, separate from the broader healthcare financing systems, specifically for treatment.
“You should be looking at a medical trust fund that is also interested in vaccines and sustainability.”
The Ghana Medical Care Trust Fund was officially unveiled at the University of Ghana Medical Center, where President John Mahama pledged six months of his salary in support of the initiative.
The urgency of the intervention is supported by troubling health statistics: non-communicable diseases now account for 45 per cent of all deaths in Ghana, with cardiovascular diseases responsible for 19 per cent and cancers for 5 per cent and at a time of increasing financial pressure on the health sector.
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