The Ghana Medical Trust Fund (known as ‘MahamaCares’) has announced that it will not fund medical treatment outside Ghana, insisting that all support under the scheme will be limited to specialized healthcare delivered within the country.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series press briefing in Accra on Monday, Administrator Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku said the Fund’s governing law prohibits financing treatment abroad, including in countries such as India.
She explained that access to support would be through referrals from specialist clinicians at 29 approved hospitals nationwide, with patients unable to apply directly to the Secretariat.
According to her, applications would be processed through a digital platform, while patient navigators stationed at hospitals would assist beneficiaries through treatment and follow-up care. Mrs Darko-Opoku said the Fund was established to strengthen specialised tertiary healthcare in Ghana and not duplicate the role of the National Health Insurance Authority.
She disclosed that a pilot exercise conducted in February under the “Month of Love” initiative supported 50 patients at a cost exceeding GH¢4.8 million for procedures including heart surgery, brain surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy across 11 hospitals.
The nationwide rollout of the patient support programme is expected to begin in June 2026, starting with cancer-related conditions. The Fund is financed through 20 per cent of the National Health Insurance Levy, government allocations and voluntary donations. Between January and May this year, it received about GH¢7 million in contributions from individuals and corporate organizations.