President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Ghana has committed GHS 34 billion to the health sector in the 2026 national budget as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s healthcare system and expand access to quality medical care.
Speaking at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, President Mahama said the investment forms part of Ghana’s broader agenda to build a resilient and self-reliant healthcare system.
“In Ghana, we are leading by example. Our 2026 budget committed GHS 34 billion to health and expanded coverage to 20 million people,” he stated.
According to the President, the government’s healthcare reforms are aimed at improving service delivery, increasing insurance coverage and ensuring equitable access to healthcare services across the country.
President Mahama highlighted several initiatives being implemented under his administration, including the Free Primary Healthcare Programme, reforms to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as MahamaCares.
He explained that the Free Primary Healthcare Programme is helping to remove financial barriers to basic healthcare, particularly for people living in rural and underserved communities.
“To mop up the remaining population not covered by the NHIS, we have recently successfully begun implementing our Free Primary Health Care Programme,” he said.
The President also noted that government had removed the cap on the National Health Insurance Fund, freeing up additional resources for healthcare investment.
“By removing the cap on the health insurance fund, we immediately freed up an additional GHS 3 billion, equivalent to $300 million, for healthcare investment,” he revealed.
President Mahama further stated that the government is leveraging digital technology and artificial intelligence to improve efficiency within the NHIS, reduce fraudulent claims and ensure timely payments to healthcare providers.
He stressed that health spending should be viewed as an investment in national development rather than merely a social obligation.
“We must see health spending as an investment rather than just a social obligation. A healthy population is indispensable to economic progress,” he said.
President Mahama reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to achieving health sovereignty by strengthening local healthcare systems, improving financing and reducing dependence on foreign aid.
Source: Mubarak Yakubu
