"GH¢491 Is Too Much": Renal Patients To Petition Parliament Over Dialysis Cost Increment
- The Renal Patients Association of Ghana has expressed grave concern about a sudden increment in the cost of dialysis treatment
- The patients say the cost has now hit GH¢491 less than a year after it was hiked to GH¢380 after subsidies were cut
- The spokesperson for the Association described the situation as challenging for renal patients and called on the government to intervene
The Renal Patients Association of Ghana has raised the alarm about a sudden increment in dialysis cost from GH¢380 to GH¢491.
The Association said the increment was disappointing and could hinder many patients' access to lifesaving dialysis treatment.
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The spokesperson for the Association, Major Baffour Kojo Ahenkorah, told Citi TV that patients were already struggling with the GH¢380 they were previously paying, and this new price will lead more patients to their deaths.
He said that when some patients heard of the new price, they returned home without receiving treatment that day.
He described the situation as challenging for renal patients and called on the government to intervene.
He revealed that the Parliament's select committee on health has allegedly approved the new price.
He said the Association is patiently awaiting the resumption of Parliament to plead with the committee to reduce the cost of treatment to improve access.
In the meantime, Major Ahenkorah appealed to individuals and private organisations to aid the most vulnerable members to pay off their costs for the lifesaving treatment.
Korle Bu hikes dialysis cost
Last year, Ghana's most prominent public hospital justified a 100% increase in the cost of dialysis, blaming high taxes and the removal of government subsidies.
The Korle Bu's Public Relations Officer, Mustapha Salifu, said Korle Bu's decision to increase the cost of the treatment is justified because of the increase in operational costs.
Korle Bu grabbed headlines after a notice at the dialysis unit announced an increase from GH¢380 to GH¢765.42.
For many, the astronomical increase is another example of harsh conditions under the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government.
Salifu explained that the dialysis unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital could close down if the cost of treatment is not increased.
He said the dialysis unit would not profit from the increase but would break even, enabling it to provide quality services to its patients.
The government wants to include dialysis in NHIS
YEN.com.gh reported that the health minister-designate, Dr Okoe Bye, says it is time for the government to include dialysis treatment in the National Health Insurance Scheme.
According to him, the recent announcement of the hike in prices of dialysis care by Ghana's two principal hospitals was a matter of worry and could lead to untimely deaths.
He has also called for the scrapping of taxes on dialysis consumables to reduce the treatment cost.
Proofreading by Berlinda Entsie, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh
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Source: YEN.com.gh
