NHIA Announces Plan To Support Needy Renal Patients For Six Months
- The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says it has allocated over GH¢2 million to assist needy renal patients
- The Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA Dr DaCosta Aboagye said the funds will cover two sessions for about 600 patients nationwide till the end of the year
- He allayed fears that the initiative will unduly burden the NHIA
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says it has allocated over GH¢2 million to assist renal patients unable to afford their dialysis treatment.
The initiative is part of the NHIA’s 20th anniversary celebration and is aimed at alleviating the financial burden on poor renal patients receiving treatment in Ghana’s major hospitals including the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, the Tamale Teaching Hospital and the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
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The NHIA CEO Dr DaCosta Aboagye said the funds allocated for this initiative will cover only two sessions for about 600 patients nationwide from June to December 31.
However, the announcement of the initiative has faced skepticism from the Ranking Member of the Health Committee of Parliament, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, who has questioned the NHIA’s ability to handle the additional financial burden.
He said expanding the NHIS could lead to untoward consequences if more strains were imposed on it.
But Dr DaCosta Aboagye explained that the scheme was financially sustainable enough to withstand the additional burden of the initiative.
He said the GH¢2 million allocated to support the six month long programme was given to the Authority by parliament to support needy renal patients while parliament worked towards officially including renal care on the NHIS.
Renal patients call for help
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.
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.
Mintah Akandoh says parliament didn’t approve new fees
YEN.com.gh reported that the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Select Committee on Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has refuted claims that Parliament has approved new fees for dialysis treatment.
Speaking to Citi TV, Mintah Akandoh said no such price hike has been discussed by parliament.
He clarified that what had been discussed in Parliament was the removal of taxes on dialysis consumables.
He said the new fees at the teaching hospital were shocking and intends to draw the Parliament's attention to them.
Proofreading by Berlinda Entsie, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh
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Source: YEN.com.gh
