The senior management team of Ghana EXIM Bank has donated GHS450,000 to the Ghana Medical Care Trust Fund, also known as ‘MahamaCares’. This amount, contributed voluntarily by the bank’s management staff, represents the first installment of a larger planned donation to the Fund.
The Ghana Medical Care Trust Fund was launched as a government initiative to complement the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) by providing financial support for advanced medical care, particularly for patients with chronic and life-threatening illnesses such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, kidney failure, and strokes.
Leading the donation, Sylvester Mensah, Chief Executive of Ghana EXIM Bank and former CEO of the NHIA, stated:
“The MahamaCares program is a compassionate initiative aimed at expanding access to essential healthcare. I’m proud of the empathy demonstrated by our senior management team.”
Mr. Mensah expressed confidence that the bank’s support would contribute meaningfully to national efforts to ease the medical burden on vulnerable citizens. The MahamaCares Fund was officially launched by President John Mahama in April this year, with an appeal for collective action to ensure that all Ghanaians, regardless of income or location, can access critical healthcare services.
Responding to this national call, President Mahama himself donated six months of his salary, while Vice President Professor Opoku-Agyeman contributed four months’ salary. Other notable donors include the Ghana Armed Forces service commanders, who collectively contributed one month’s salary each.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 90% of deaths from chronic conditions in Ghana are due to cardiovascular diseases, while 5% are due to cancers. Many of these deaths are preventable but persist due to limited access to expensive treatments—gaps the MahamaCares initiative is designed to fill.
To support the rollout of the program, the Ministry of Health has established a dedicated task force to oversee implementation and ensure resources reach those in need.
