Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Health Committee, has raised concerns about the sustainability of the National Health Insurance Authority’s (NHIA) recent initiative to offer free dialysis sessions for kidney patients under 18 and over 60 years old.
Starting June 1 and running through December 2024, renal patients in these age groups will receive up to eight free dialysis sessions per month. However, Mr. Akandoh argues that instead of this temporary measure, the government should focus on subsidizing the overall cost of dialysis sessions to make them more affordable in the long term.
In addition to the provisions for younger and older patients, the NHIA has announced that kidney patients aged 19 to 59 will receive two free dialysis sessions per month. Despite these efforts, Mr. Akandoh remains skeptical about the long-term viability of the plan.
In a recent media interview, Mr. Akandoh emphasized the need for a sustainable funding strategy for dialysis treatments. “The patients deserve better, and the government can step in to help. If you look at how vaccines are paid for, sometimes the National Health Insurance contributes, and the government provides counterpart funding. This current dialysis plan is not sustainable,” he remarked.
He further criticized the timing of the initiative, suggesting it is politically motivated due to the upcoming elections. “This is only for six months because we are in an election period. All this while, we have not heard the vice president speak about this. It’s political because after December, there is no plan in place, and patients will revert to paying the increased fee, which has risen from GH¢380 to GH¢491.”
Mr. Akandoh’s comments highlight a broader concern about the government’s approach to healthcare funding, urging for a more reliable and enduring solution to support kidney patients across the country.
