The National Health Insurance Authority has announced that 40 health facilities are prepared to implement the Free Dialysis policy starting on December 1.
The CEO, Dr Dacosta-Aboagye, confirmed that all necessary preparations have been made for the rollout of the policy, which is estimated to cost the government between GHC20 million to GHC57 million annually.
Speaking at a joint press briefing with heads of selected health facilities, Dr. Dacosta-Aboagye assured the public of their readiness to begin the implementation of the Free Dialysis policy. The decision to move forward with the rollout follows a meeting between stakeholders at the NHIA Head Office.
Dr. Dacosta-Aboagye explained that the 40 facilities selected for the initial rollout have finalized all necessary engagements and will begin implementing the policy as scheduled. Additional dialysis machines have been purchased to alleviate the pressure on existing machines and improve the well-being of renal disease patients.
The initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden on the estimated five million Ghanaians suffering from renal malfunction. Currently, close to two thousand patients are on dialysis in the country, with each patient requiring at least four sessions per week.
Ag. CEO of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Frank Owusu-Sekyere, reassured the public that his facility is prepared to accommodate the expected increase in patients. “We are ready to start on December 1. Arrangements have been made at the renal units and consumables are being stocked, so there is no need for concern,” he said.
The free dialysis policy is a significant step towards improving access to healthcare for renal disease patients in Ghana.
Source:TheDotNews