News:
July 30, 2025
The Member of Parliament for Akim Oda said the Minority has issues with the government creating another vehicle (The Ghana Medical Trust Fund) to fund health care delivery instead of just strengthening the existing vehicle – the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to expand its coverage.
“If we had maintained the NHIA, and the kind of funding that we’re taking out to set up a new vehicle, we have problem with it. So if government uncaps NHIS and is able to free NHIS with additional funding, then NHIA can now decide to open up”.
According to him, the vehicle has never been a problem; the problem has been the funding; “so NHIS will tell you I cannot pay this because I don’t have that much to be able to expand my coverage”.
He affirmed that the problem with the NHIS was funding, following the increasing number of subscribers, as well as increases in coverage, stating that the scheme was to initially take care of 95 percent of diseases burdens. But subsequent additions have created financing difficulties for the scheme. He cited the absorption of the free maternal care policy onto the NHIS – a policy which was initially financed from a grant from the UK as one of those financial additions to the scheme.
The Akim Oda MP argued that by creating a new vehicle (The Ghana Medical Trust Fund), the government would be spending additional money to administer that vehicle which already exists under the NHIS.
Ghana Medical Trust Fund To Support Chronic Disease Care (The MahamaCares)
The government has launched The Ghana Medical Trust Fund initiative aimed at providing financial assistance to individuals living with chronic diseases including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney failure, stroke, among others across the country.
The Fund would cover the cost of care and medication for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) not currently included under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), thereby complementing it by supporting critical aspects of these conditions.
Another areas of interest would be to invest in health infrastructure, medical equipment, specialist training, and research to enhance access to quality healthcare.
Ghanamps.com