“I’ve used all my cash for dialysis, I am nearing my grave” -Kidney patient shares heartbreaking struggle as dialysis costs soar

Baffour Kojo Ahenkorah, a long-time kidney patient, has shared his harrowing experience of the recent increase in dialysis costs, which has left him unable to afford his essential treatments.

Battling kidney disease for nine years, Mr Ahenkorah unknowingly lived with hypertension during his school days, often feeling fatigued and sleepy, assuming it was normal. A severe illness in 2015 revealed the devastating truth: his kidneys had failed.

Since then, Ahenkorah has relied on regular dialysis to survive, a treatment he must undergo three times a week. However, the financial burden has drained his resources and those of his family, leaving him in a dire situation.

“I skipped my session due to the price increase. I can’t eat although I am hungry, and it is affecting me a lot because I don’t want to be too heavy. I’ve used all my cash for dialysis, and it is really affecting me. I am nearing my grave and my death”, he lamented on Accra-based Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem.

The recent government hike in dialysis costs from GH¢380 to GH¢491 has been a crushing blow for patients like Ahenkorah. “The increment has really affected me. I urge the government to do something about it,” he pleaded, highlighting the emotional and financial toll his condition has taken.

The Renal Patients Association of Ghana has also raised concerns, warning that the increased fees will worsen the financial struggles already faced by many patients. Nearly 1,300 Ghanaians require dialysis, needing about 12 sessions a month. With the new cost, a patient will need nearly GH₵6,000 monthly for the full treatment.

Mr. Ahenkorah’s story is a stark reminder of the severe impact rising healthcare costs have on vulnerable patients, urging immediate action to alleviate their burden.