Mahama Highlights Free Healthcare Programme At UN General Assembly
Zero-Cost Primary Care Initiative Launched In April Draws International Attention
By Stephanie Amakye · September 24, 2026 · 42 seconds read
President John Mahama spotlighted Ghana's Free Primary Healthcare Programme during his address at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 24, 2026, presenting the zero-cost initiative as a model for universal health coverage.
What The Programme Actually Covers The programme, launched on April 15, 2026, guarantees every Ghanaian access to essential primary healthcare services at the community level at no cost. It is being rolled out first across 150 underserved districts before a planned nationwide expansion by 2028, at an estimated annual cost of GH₵1.2 billion.
MahamaCare Adds Coverage For Non-Communicable Diseases Alongside the primary care programme, Mahama has also established the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, known as MahamaCare, which subsidizes treatment for non-communicable diseases including renal failure, cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The initiative has drawn recognition from the World Health Organisation and the United Nations.