The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has dismissed claims by the former government that a free dialysis policy ever existed, describing it as a political gimmick.
Speaking in an interview shared of X by CITI FM on February 27, 2025, the minister emphasised that no such initiative was in place beyond December 31, 2024.
“Let me correct this and set the record straight; there was absolutely nothing like free dialysis. It was a political gimmick, and it didn’t exist,” he stated.
He explained that during his tenure as the ranking member of the health committee, a provision of about GH¢2 million was made under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), with an additional GH¢2 million sourced from Corporate Social Responsibility funds.
However, this arrangement expired at the end of 2024, and no policy was implemented afterward to continue the supposed free dialysis program, he stated.
Addressing the current state of healthcare financing, the minister said the government plans to establish “Mahama Cares,” a new initiative aimed at improving healthcare accessibility.
“As of the time they were leaving power, they had cut the national health insurance by not less than GH¢8 billion. Everyone was crying that there was no money and that they were not paying realistic tariffs. Meanwhile, the president was spending national health insurance money at the presidency,” he alleged.
According to him, former President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to remove the cap on NHIS funding to ensure adequate resources for healthcare services.
“It is only through free primary health care that we can achieve universal health coverage. The rate at which non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are killing Ghanaians is alarming. Therefore, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama has promised, and we are going to deliver,” he assured.
The minister further disclosed that a committee has been set up to develop a framework for the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as “Mahama Cares.”
This initiative aims to subsidise the cost of treating chronic diseases, ensuring better healthcare for all Ghanaians.
Watch video below:
‘Let me set the records straight! There was nothing like free dialysis; it was a political gimmick.’ – Dr. Mintah Akandoh assures that President Mahama plans to subsidize the cost of treating chronic illnesses via the ‘Mahama Cares’ project.#SONA2025 #CitiNewsroom… pic.twitter.com/7OQY8fdlQe
— CITI FM 97.3 (@Citi973) February 27, 2025
RAD/AE
Meanwhile, watch as Majority and Minority chant at each other after Mahama’s SONA below: