The Ranking Member on the Health Committee of Parliament, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye, expressed significant concerns over the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Bill, 2025, during a parliamentary debate on the Health Committee’s report on Monday, July 21, 2025.
Dr. Afriye, the Member of Parliament for Effiduase-Asokore, cautioned that the proposed Trust, also known as “Mahama Cares,” risks duplicating the functions of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), potentially undermining its operations and placing the poor and vulnerable at risk.
Addressing the House, Dr. Afriye highlighted that the Bill’s proposal to allocate 20% of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Trust could strain the NHIA’s ability to function effectively.
“The Minority members of the committee were of the view that an allocation of 20% of the National Health Insurance Fund to the Trust would adversely affect the administration of the NHIA and its operations. This is detrimental to the effective functioning of the scheme,” he stated.
He further noted that the committee recommended engaging the Ministry of Finance to explore alternative funding sources, such as portions of the COVID-19 Levy, to avoid overburdening the NHIA.
Dr. Afriye emphasized that the NHIA, as established under Act 852, is mandated to ensure equity in health coverage, access to healthcare for the poor, and protection against financial risk. He argued that the Trust’s objectives overlap with these existing provisions, creating potential duplications.
“All the diseases this Ghana Medical Trust Fund intends to support are already provided for in the NHIA budget, so there is no need for that,” he said.
The MP described the Trust as a “disguised capping” of the NHIA budget, comparing it to previous policies that capped NHIA funds at 15%.
“Taking 20% is like capping 20%. It’s disguised capping, and, in fact, it is permanent capping this way,” he stated.
Dr. Afriye warned that diverting funds from the NHIA to the Trust could weaken the NHIA’s ability to serve the poor, who are already concerned about co-payments, and lead to confusion in healthcare delivery due to overlapping roles.
He further questioned the sustainability and acceptability of the Trust, particularly criticizing its branding as “Mahama Cares.”
“A Trust that has an alias like this, Mr. Speaker, acceptability will even be a problem. Sustainability will be a problem,” he.
The Ranking Member suggested that that the initiative appears to be a political decision rather than an economic one.
“Any decision that you take politically does not stand the test of time,” he added argued.
Dr. Afriye also raised concerns about inadequate stakeholder consultation, noting that the Minority was not included in discussions prior to the Bill’s formulation.
He suggested that a properly structured Trust could address gaps in the health system, such as immunization sustainability after GAVI’s support ends in five years or the provision of medical equipment to hospitals with collapsing infrastructure.
Despite his criticisms, Dr. Afriye clarified that the Minority is not opposed to the government executing its manifesto but seeks deeper arguments to ensure the Trust’s implementation is sustainable and effective.
He proposed redirecting resources to strengthen existing institutions like the NHIA and investing in specialty hospitals and training to address systemic healthcare gaps.
The Ghana Medical Trust Fund Bill, presented by the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, on July 21, 2025, seeks to mobilize resources to finance specialized medical care for chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, kidney failure, and stroke.
Launched by President John Dramani Mahama on April 29, 2025, at the University of Ghana Medical Centre, the Trust aims to cover treatment costs not included in the NHIS, funded primarily by the uncapped National Health Insurance Levy, government budgets, and corporate contributions.
However, the Bill’s Second Reading was deferred due to a lack of quorum, as raised by the Minority’s Deputy Chief Whip, Habib Iddrisu, citing Article 124 of the 1992 Constitution. The Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, adjourned proceedings until July 22, 2025, acknowledging the constitutional concerns.
The House is expected to pass the Bill during proceedings on Tuesday.
GA