The president of the Renal Patients Association of Ghana says the government’s decision to provide free dialysis services for kidney patients through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) should not be politicised.
He said this has been achieved through broadstakeholder consultation and engagements.
He revealed on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM that the association had petitioned the government on a number of issues affecting renal patients, including the cost of treatment and the limited number of treatment centres in our public health facilities.
Upon consideration and several engagements, the government has announced that renal patients who are registered under the national health insurance scheme would enjoy free dialysis treatment.
“A committee was set up, and I was part of that committee. This announcement was one of the proposals we submitted to the government. They told us the proposal had been submitted to the National Health Insurance Authority to consider, and that has been considered.
I would say it is a step in the right direction because it will solve about 80 percent of our problems.
If we were to rate this, we would say it will take care of 80 percent of our cost because renal patients don’t only need dialysis. We have to buy drugs, go to labs, and do our pre- and post-tests, which come at a cost. But if the government is providing the free dialysis, it will help us save money and use it for our drugs, injections, and other treatments.”
He went on to state that “the government has accepted our proposal and implemented it; it is a step in the right direction. I don’t want to assume that this is a political activity. We had engagements and consulted broadly, and so it has been implemented; I don’t think it is for political reasons. The board may have delayed, but the announcement should not be politicised. I think it is for the good of the renal of patients.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
