The MahamaCares initiative has received boost with GHC2.2million worth of medicines donated by Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana (PMAG) last week.

Items donated by the organization includes pain medication, blood tonics, anti-malaria drugs, cardiovascular and anti-diabetic medicines, as well as asthma management treatments.

During the presentation of the items by PMAG President Dr Samuel Tobbin, he stated that, “This donation is not just about medicine; it’s about restoring hope and dignity to the thousands of Ghanaians who rely on public health support."

“We believe that the MahamaCares Initiative presents a timely opportunity to demonstrate the power of local industry in driving national development.”

The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, expressed appreciation to the PMAG for the donation, assuring the group that the medications will immediately be sent to the appropriate health facilities.

He is one of the few ministers who also pledged his three-month salary to the President's initiative.

“Since the President has pledged to donate his six months’ salary to support the initiative, I am also donating three months’ salary to the fund,” the Minister affirmed.

Additionally, Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang also pledged four months of her salary to support the initiative.

For her pledge, President John Dramani Mahama made this known during his national address on Wednesday, May 7, as he marked 120 days into his second term in office.

“Vice President Naana Jane also pledged four months of her salary to the Mahama Cares Fund,” the President announced.

The donations and money pledges came after the President himself pledged to give six months of his salary to support the initiative he introduced.

He said, “Prof. Ayetey, a retired doctor, has donated $1,000 to the Ghana Medical Trust. That should encourage all of us and, especially corporate institutions, to do even more. As the initiator of this laudable programme, I must also contribute.”

“And so, I’ve pledged six months of my salary to Mahama Cares. I haven’t started receiving a salary yet, they say the Accountant General is still processing it, but once that’s completed, six months of whatever I’m entitled to will go into Mahama Cares,” he added.

In the month of April, the government unveiled the Mahama Cares Ghana Medical Trust Fund, to provide financial aid to those battling with chronic conditions like kidney failure, cancer, and heart diseases.

The fund is designed to alleviate the financial burden faced by patients in need of life-saving medical care.

The event marking the launch took place at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) in Accra on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. The ceremony saw the attendance of key stakeholders from the healthcare sector and the corporate world.

President John Dramani Mahama, who officially introduced the fund, called on the private sector to support Mahama Cares as part of their corporate social responsibility.

“I want to encourage corporate Ghana, businesses, the mines, the banks, and all the other companies, that this Ghana Medical Trust Fund, is coming to your clients who save their monies in your banks or do business with you. Some of them are even your own staff.

“So, as part of your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), if you give anything, consider that you are giving to your own staff or customers. So, I would like to encourage all corporations in Ghana, both private and public, to at the end of the year, donate some portion of their annual CSR to Ghana Medical Fund because it is going to do a lot of good to the country,” he stated.

The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, expressed his support for the initiative, describing it as long overdue. He emphasized that the fund would ensure equitable access to healthcare, particularly for individuals facing financial barriers to treatment.

“The draft bill for the Mahama Care is ready and will be submitted immediately Parliament resumes,” he confirmed.

Akandoh also announced a significant policy change to strengthen the programme, revealing that the government has removed the capping of the national health insurance firm. This, he explained, will unlock substantial resources for the fund.

“Most importantly, the uncapping of the capping of the national health insurance firm has been removed. This move has unlocked substantial resources to ensure that a dedicated allocation of funds will now support the Mahama Care Programme,” he added.

The Mahama Cares fund is expected to play a pivotal role in enhancing healthcare access for many Ghanaians, particularly those battling chronic diseases and unable to afford the necessary medical treatment.