The Christian Council of Ghana has pledged its full support for the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF), popularly known as MahamaCares, promising to mobilise churches and communities nationwide to support the Fund’s efforts to provide critical medical care to Ghanaians who cannot afford it.
Executive Secretary of the Council, Rev. Dr. Cyril G. K. Fayose, said the Council considers the work of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund an extension of the Christian responsibility to care for the sick, alleviate suffering and restore hope.
He made the commitment when the leadership of the GMTF, led by its Administrator, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, and a member of its Board of Directors, Hon. Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie, met with the Christian Council.
Rev. Dr. Fayose said the Council had “caught the back” of the Trust Fund and would support the initiative “through and through.”
According to him, the Fund’s work reflects the healing ministry of Jesus Christ, who reached out to the sick and brought relief to people experiencing pain and suffering.
“For us, this is the work of God. Jesus Christ went about healing the sick and alleviating the pain and suffering of people. When you provide treatment and hope to someone who otherwise could not afford medical care, you are doing a work that is at the very heart of our Christian calling,” he said.
Mobilising the Church
Rev. Dr. Fayose disclosed that the Christian Council’s support for the initiative was not new, explaining that the Council was consulted during the conception of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund and therefore understood its importance and potential to transform lives.
He commended the leadership of the Trust Fund, particularly its Administrator, for the progress made since the establishment of the institution.
He said the stories of patients who have received life-saving treatment through the Fund demonstrated the need for Ghanaians, churches, corporate institutions and philanthropists to rally behind the initiative.
The Christian Council, he pledged, would become one of the “crusaders” of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund by using its extensive network of churches and congregations to raise awareness, highlight the Fund’s impact and encourage donations.
The pledge comes as the Ghana Medical Trust Fund seeks to strengthen access to specialised healthcare and reduce the financial burden associated with the treatment of non-communicable diseases.
Established under Act 1144 in July 2025, the Fund seeks to complement existing healthcare financing arrangements while helping to address gaps that leave vulnerable patients unable to access critical treatment.
‘No Ghanaian should die because they cannot afford treatment’
Addressing the Christian Council, Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, said the Fund was founded on a fundamental conviction: no Ghanaian should lose their life simply because they cannot afford or access the medical care they need.
She highlighted the financial difficulties confronting families dealing with serious illnesses, including households that exhaust their savings on medical bills, parents forced to choose between treatment and other basic needs, and patients who delay seeking care because of the cost.
“Sometimes, the difference between someone receiving treatment and losing their life is simply the availability of financial support at the right time. This is the gap that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund seeks to help address,” she said.
Ms. Darko-Opoku described the Christian Council as a strategic partner because of the Church’s extensive reach, credibility and longstanding contribution to healthcare, education and social development.
She said churches could go beyond creating awareness by mobilising congregations, supporting fundraising efforts and helping to build a national culture in which saving lives is viewed as a collective responsibility.
She challenged the Christian community to help build a Ghana where churches could confidently say:
“If there is someone among us who needs life-saving medical care and cannot afford it, we will not look away.”
Complementing existing healthcare financing
The Administrator stressed that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund was not established to replace existing healthcare financing arrangements.
Rather, she said, the Fund seeks to complement existing systems and close critical gaps that continue to prevent vulnerable patients from accessing specialised treatment.
The partnership with the Christian Council could therefore provide a significant platform for expanding awareness of the Fund, mobilising resources and reaching communities where financial barriers continue to stand between patients and potentially life-saving medical care.
With the Church now pledging to become a major advocate for MahamaCares, the collaboration places a renewed focus on a shared message: access to life-saving healthcare should not be determined by a person’s ability to pay.
