President of the Renal Patients Association of Ghana, Baffour Kojo Ahinkrah, has welcomed the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (Mahama Cares) as a good initiative but expressed concern that the scheme appears to be centred around certain specific individuals and therefore needs clearer understanding and transparency.
Speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, he explained that before implementation, the initiative was understood to be primarily for kidney patients who needed medical help, but, according to him, the situation changed after the programme was rolled out.
He said he has visited the office of the Mahama Cares administrator several times—“not once, not twice”—to seek information and clarification, yet he has recorded no meaningful outcome.
He further stated that, within his team and among the renal patients he represents, he has no records of anyone who has benefited from Mahama Cares so far.
He challenged that if any renal patient had actually benefited, that person should come forward; but, based on his records, he knew of no such beneficiary.
“This may be my personal opinion, but I think this Mahama Cares initiative is meant for a specific group of people. When this policy was being formulated, we were made to understand that it was mainly for kidney patients. However, since it was established, it appears the thing is centred around some specific group of people. As we speak, due to the free dialysis, Korle-Bu is choked with patients. Other facilities are choked. We have made attempts to engage with the administrator, but we have not succeeded at it. Currently, from our records, there is no single person—from our records, I am not aware of a single patient who has benefited. I would be glad if anyone with evidence to prove otherwise would do so.”
He maintained that the process involved in getting the assistance or support was rigorous, but despite all their efforts, they have not been able to have an audience with the administrator.
He described the initiative as a good one but stressed that “kidney patients have not benefited. They also promised to build more dialysis centres, but we have not seen anything.”
