Mahama Cares Unveils Landmark Cancer Care Package to Cushion Patients from Costs

The Ghana Medical Trust Fund (Mahama Cares) has unveiled a comprehensive national cancer care package aimed at easing the financial burden on thousands of Ghanaians battling cancer, marking a major step in the country’s efforts to expand access to specialised healthcare.

The package, which covers the full continuum of cancer care from diagnosis and treatment to follow-up support, was presented during a stakeholder engagement with the management and clinical leadership of the Hospital as the Trust Fund prepares for nationwide implementation.

The engagement was led by the Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Madam Obuobia Darko-Opoku, who reaffirmed the Fund’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Ghana’s premier tertiary referral and teaching hospital.

Presenting the package, the Head of Operations of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, William Omane-Agyekum, said the initiative marked the transition from the Fund’s 18-month pilot phase to a structured, fully costed national financing framework established under the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Act, 2023 (Act 1114).

He explained that although non-communicable diseases cover a wide range of conditions, the Board of Trustees, in consultation with medical experts, resolved to begin with cancers after considering treatment availability, equity, national disease burden and the devastating financial impact these conditions have on families.

“We could not start with every non-communicable disease at once. We considered treatment availability, equity, budgetary implications and the catastrophic financial impact on families before agreeing that cancer should be our first priority,” Mr Omane-Agyekum said.

The package will initially cover eight cancers, three adult cancers and five childhood cancers selected based on national prevalence and expert recommendations.

Under the programme, eligible patients will receive financial support throughout their treatment journey, including specialist consultations, diagnostic investigations, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, hormonal therapy, inpatient care and up to two years of post-treatment follow-up.

After the two-year follow-up period, stable patients will transition to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) or lower-level health facilities for routine reviews.

Mr Omane-Agyekum explained that the Trust Fund had adopted two payment mechanisms to ensure effective financing and accountability.

Medicines and diagnostic investigations will be reimbursed through a fee-for-service model, where each test or medication is costed individually based on quantity and duration.

Specialist outpatient consultations will be financed through bundled tariffs, which cover both direct clinical services and operational costs, including staffing, equipment usage and utilities.

He disclosed that the package was developed through extensive consultations involving specialists from Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and Ho Teaching Hospital.

Medical experts participated in a three-day national consensus meeting to review cancer treatment pathways, required services and medicines before detailed costing exercises were conducted across teaching hospitals.

The final recommendations were reviewed by the Trust Fund’s Technical Oversight Committee, approved by the Board of Trustees and endorsed by the Minister of Health.

Mr Omane-Agyekum stressed that the success of the package would depend on effective implementation and collaboration among healthcare providers.

“As comprehensive as this package is, it remains only a document unless we implement it effectively. This engagement is to ensure that all stakeholders understand the framework and work together for the benefit of the Ghanaian people,” he said.

The meeting also reviewed the programme’s medicines list and tariff schedule to ensure that Mahama Cares complements rather than duplicates services already covered by the NHIS.

Treatments and medicines already covered under the NHIS will not be financed by Mahama Cares, while services outside both approved benefit packages will remain out-of-pocket expenses for patients.

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