The government, through the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), has officially launched the ‘free dialysis’ treatment program for all persons suffering from renal diseases, effective December 1, 2024.
The NHIA Chief Executive, Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye, unveiled the government’s lifesaving initiative during a news conference at the Head Office in Accra on November 26, 2024.
He envisaged that the Authority would need a minimum of about Ghs 20 million to Ghs57 million for the program, which the government is committed to funding. He said forty (40) credentialled health facilities across the country have been mandated to provide financial risk protection against the high cost of dialysis treatment.
Prior to the public pronouncement, Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye engaged the heads of the 40 health facilities that had been prepared for the implementation process and were advised to desist from illegal charges (extortions). Pilot Earlier, the Chief Executive, Dr Da-Costa Aboagye, at Ejisu in the Ashanti Region, said the full implementation demonstrated the government’s focus on improving healthcare outcomes for vulnerable populations.
He revealed that during the pilot stage, the NHIA paid over Ghs1.5million to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH), Efia Nkwanta Regional Hospital (ENRH), Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH), Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) for treating dialysis patients.
Modern dialysis machines support for health facilities Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye, at a consultative forum organized by the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, pledged that some major health facilities are to receive more machines from the Authority to ensure quality healthcare services for the free dialysis program.
He said the World Bank is funding the project which will be done through the Public Procurement regulations.
Claims payments debt clearance Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye praised the government for consistently releasing enough funds to the Authority, which resulted in the payments of Ghs1.2 billion to credentialed healthcare providers. He added that the Authority is reviewing the Scheme’s medicine tariffs to reflect pharmaceutical companies’ unpredictable market controls.
