President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Ghana is on course to transition from financial support provided by GAVI, the Global Vaccine Alliance, by the year 2030.
Speaking during a keynote address at the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva on Monday, May 18, President Mahama said Ghana’s healthcare sector continues to make significant progress through strategic reforms and investments to improve access to quality healthcare.
The President highlighted the government’s commitment to strengthening the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), stressing that timely payments to healthcare providers remain essential to ensuring dignified treatment for citizens.
“By ensuring our providers are paid on time, we ensure that our citizens are treated with dignity,” he stated.
President Mahama also used the international platform to outline Ghana’s response to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, liver complications, and kidney failure.
According to him, the newly launched Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as MahamaCares, is designed to support patients battling life-threatening chronic illnesses that often come with overwhelming treatment costs.
“We’ve also confronted the rising tide of non-communicable diseases by launching the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as MahamaCares,” he said.
Describing the initiative as a major intervention for vulnerable patients, President Mahama added: “This fund is a lifeline for those suffering from non-communicable diseases, cardiovascular conditions, cancers, liver disease, and renal failures that were previously a death sentence for the poor.”
He further emphasised that the programme seeks to make specialised healthcare accessible to all citizens regardless of their financial status.
“MahamaCares is ensuring that specialised high-cost care is not a privilege for just a few, but is a right for all,” he noted.
Touching on Ghana’s vaccination progress, the President expressed optimism about the country’s readiness to gradually move away from donor vaccine support.
“Ghana, I’m also happy to report, is on track to exit GAVI funding for vaccines by the year 2030,” he announced.
President Mahama added that Ghana also hopes to transition into vaccine self-sufficiency in the coming years as the country strengthens its healthcare financing and immunisation systems.
