The Ghana NCD Alliance, in partnership with People Living with NCDs and Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development, has commended President John Mahama for launching the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares).

They are particularly excited about his decision to donate six months of his salary as seed funding for the initiative and for directing all government appointees to donate one month of their salaries to the fund.

At the official launch on 29th April 2025, the President addressed the growing public health threat posed by NCDs - such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, kidney and heart diseases, and stroke - urging corporate Ghana to align their corporate social responsibility strategies with this critical national priority.

Some individuals living with NCDs highlighted the dangers of such diseases and commended the President’s initiative.

“When a former President, now President of Ghana, openly shares his personal journey with chronic illness, it turns statistics into stories—reminding us that NCDs are not distant threats but a present reality,” said Martha Coffie, a person living with multiple NCDs.

“We are thankful to the President, Mr John Mahama, for initiating a fund to support us and showing that we are not alone. However, we would like to remind His Excellency to prioritise NCD prevention, which is a cornerstone of a meaningful response to non-communicable diseases,” stated Essel Francis Cudjoe, another person living with diabetes.

The Ghana NCD Alliance also reiterated the financial burdens imposed by NCDs and made several recommendations for the effective operation of the President’s initiative.

“For years, we have witnessed the crippling financial burdens imposed by NCDs, with many Ghanaians facing insurmountable healthcare costs and limited access to treatment. While MahamaCares represents a landmark moment in Ghana’s journey towards Universal Health Coverage, we stress the importance of ensuring this initiative does not focus solely on curative care.

As the initiative gains momentum, we humbly recommend the inclusion of preventive measures—ranging from public education on the risk factors of NCDs, such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity, to regular health screening for early diagnosis and referral.

Preventive actions such as increased pricing on health-harming products, marketing restrictions, and health warning labels on food items, among others, will reduce pressure on the fund and lower the number of NCD cases reported at hospitals in the medium to long term.

We also call on the government to implement policies that will create a sustainable and equitable funding pipeline. These interventions will alleviate long-term pressure on the fund by reducing disease incidence and the associated treatment costs.”

The Ghana NCD Alliance further urged for public inclusivity to facilitate the programme:

“As the global community prepares for the upcoming 4th UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health in September 2025, Ghana’s proactive stance through MahamaCares could serve as a model of national leadership and multisectoral commitment towards the achievement of global NCD targets.

"We call on all citizens to unite behind this initiative, promote its mission, and raise awareness about the critical need for early detection, prevention, and treatment of NCDs.”