The National Health Insurance Scheme will now cover free dialysis treatment for eligible patients with those aged 18 to 60 receiving 2 free sessions each month.
This announcement was made by the Minister of Health, Dr Bernard Okoe-Boye during the commissioning of the urology and nephrology centre at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
In June 2024, the NHIA announced a free six-month dialysis support programme for renal patients, running from June to December.
Amidst concerns about sustainability and calls for government intervention, the Minister of Health, Dr Bernard Okoe-Boye, addressed these issues during the commissioning of the Urology and Nephrology centre, highlighting the ministry’s commitment to supporting dialysis patients.
“If you’re 60 years and above, your dialysis sessions are paid for by government through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). If you’re 18 years and below, that is children, all your sessions are paid for by government through the NHIS. With your GHC8 renewal of your Health Insurance for a year, you can have all the sessions that you need. For those 18 years to 60 years, the President of the republic has given NHIS the go ahead to pay for 2 sessions out of the average 4 that you receive every week,” Dr Okoe-Boye said.
He also emphasized the need for professional staff at the new centre to adopt a strong maintenance culture.
“We are going to use this facility as a pilot so that, that impression that some people have that when it is for government, it is for nobody should come to an end. In terms of maintenance, it is performance of that report that will guarantee continued leadership and the position for those who are heading the facility.”
The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Dr Frank Owusu-Sekyere underscored the centre’s significance and appealed for legislation to be passed to support its efforts.
“With this new centre, we usher in an era where Ghanaians will no longer need to seek urological and nephrology services abroad. I take this opportunity to appeal to your excellency the President and the relevant stakeholders to expedite the passage of legislation governing tissue transplantation in Ghana. This will make transplantation services readily available and affordable for the teaming ailing Ghanaians and other patients,” he said.
Present at the event was President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who inaugurated the centre.
“By the close of 2024 we expect the completion of several key health care projects including the construction of 11 district hospitals and 1 polyclinic in the Ashanti, Eastern, Greater Accra and Ahafo regions. It is my singular honor and pleasure to declare the urology and nephrology centre with excellence at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital duly commissioned.”
This announcement brings relief to many dialysis patients, as the cost of treatment has become a burden, leading some to tragically lose their lives.
Source:
3news.com
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