2026 Budget Sets Ghana on Path to Modernised, Accessible Healthcare
Photo credit - Adjaye Associates designing 101 hospitals "to transform Ghana's medical system”
Accra, Ghana - The government has unveiled a health sector expansion plan in the 2026 Budget Statement, outlining a renewed push to strengthen infrastructure, improve access and enhance specialized medical care across the country. The announcement was made by Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson during his presentation to Parliament on Thursday, November 13.
Dr . Forson indicated that the administration is committed to advancing President John Dramani Mahama’s goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage, ensuring that every Ghanaian can access quality healthcare irrespective of income or location. He described the 2026 Budget as a turning point for modernising the nation’s health delivery system and addressing long‑standing disparities.
As part of the new measures, construction will commence on six regional hospitals for the recently created regions, with the first three scheduled for 2026. The budget allocates GH¢600 million to construct three new regional hospitals. Two additional district hospitals are expected to be built in Bole and Shama. He also stated that ten abandoned Agenda 111 projects would be revived and completed, including La General Hospital, the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Maternity Block, Effia Nkwanta Hospital and the Ashanti Regional Hospital at Sewua. The allocation set aside for completing the ten Agenda 111 hospital projects is GH¢100 million.
The Government will also upgrade seven hospitals to improve maternal and child health services as part of a broader effort to raise the quality and efficiency of healthcare nationwide. The budget assigns GH¢79 million for the upgrade of these seven hospitals.
Dr. Forson highlighted the operationalisation of the Ghana Medical Care Trust Fund, known as MahamaCares, under the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Act, 2025 (Act 1144). Beginning in 2026, the Fund will provide sustainable financing for the treatment of non‑communicable diseases (NCDs) and specialised medical services. A bold allocation of GH¢2.3 billion has been made for MahamaCares to support Ghanaians battling chronic diseases such as cancer, hypertension, diabetes, stroke and kidney disease. The Fund will in 2026 introduce a comprehensive NCD financing policy covering approved conditions, essential medicines, tariffs, and service lists. Diagnostic and treatment centres will be constructed in major hospitals through public‑private partnership arrangements, enabling nationwide access to advanced testing and treatment for NCDs under the MahamaCares programme.
According to the Minister, Infection Prevention and Control has now been elevated to a national strategy, while the nationwide rollout of HPV vaccination for girls has taken full effect. The Ministry also launched a National Health Sector Gender Policy aimed at strengthening gender equity in workforce participation and access to healthcare. The budget further provides GH¢474 million for nursing trainee allowances to shore up frontline capacity.
In the health financing space, the Government has set aside GH¢9.0 billion for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) claims, essential medicines, vaccines and Free Primary Healthcare. This is underpinned by the “uncapping of the NHIL (National Health Insurance Levy)” mechanism to ensure full, timely financing.
Dr . Forson concluded that in 2026, the Ministry will push forward with the Free Primary Health Care agenda, scale up local pharmaceutical manufacturing and modernize digital claims and fraud‑detection systems to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability across the health sector.
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