Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister of Information, has expressed his concern about the high costs associated with treating patients with kidney problems in the country.
He suggested that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) should consider covering some of the expenses incurred by renal patients during their dialysis treatments.
In an interview, Nkrumah emphasized the need for the government to provide financial support for certain aspects of the treatment, as the current costs are a significant financial burden on kidney patients. He stressed the importance of adequately funding the NHIS Fund to make this possible.
Nkrumah mentioned that the government is awaiting the completion of internal discussions within the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to determine the specific position on the matter.
He personally proposed that the NHIS Fund should consider covering the costs associated with dialysis treatments, as these expenses can quickly deplete the finances of patients who require multiple sessions each month.
The MP for Ofoase-Ayiribi also raised concerns about the lack of full remittance into the NHIS Fund since its inception under former President John Agyekum Kufuor.
He suggested that monies collected on behalf of the Fund should be automated to prevent any potential loopholes.
Furthermore, the Renal Patients Association revealed that 14 outpatients of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital’s renal unit have died since it was closed to them in May 2023.
The closure forced patients to seek dialysis treatment at private centers, where the costs are higher than the previous rates at the hospital.
The Ministry of Health summoned the hospital’s management to explain the introduction of the new fee without proper due process, and the hospital has faced criticism over the increased dialysis charges.
