Dr. Aboagye Dacosta, Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), has revealed that based on the test scenario and data available to authorities, the government will require between Ghc 24 million and Ghc 57 million per year to successfully roll out the free dialysis initiative, which is scheduled to begin on December 1, 2024.
He emphasised that the initiative was not politically motivated and was implemented in collaboration with colleagues and the Vice President’s research team.
Speaking in an interview with Sir Richie on ‘As it is Ghana’ on Rainbow Radio 92.4FM, UK, he said, per the data available to them, that they gathered through the piloting of the free dialysis initiative for persons 60 years+ and below 18 years, and it emerged that 1,400 Ghanaians had end-stage kidney disease.
He said out of every one million Ghanaians, 24 of them were having end-stage kidney or renal disease.
He stated that the number of patients provided by the Association of Renal Patients was 700, but after the piloting, “we had a figure of 400 people on dialysis.” The data show that the amount required for free dialysis can be generated through the National Health Insurance Scheme. The free dialysis initiative does not have a political agenda. It is a well-considered initiative. When undergoing dialysis, you must pay a fee of GHC 490. If you multiply that by 400 and the amount of treatment the patients require each month, they will need eight sessions, which will cost GHC 1.5 million.
Multiplying that by 12 months yields GHC 18. something million, which was rounded up to GHC 20 million. That’s the first category. This means that we will need at least GHC 20 million per year. In the second scenario, we doubled the patients. So, if you begin free dialysis and the number doubles (800), you will require GHC 3.2 million per month and GHC 39.6 million, rounded up to GHC 40 million per year.
That is when the numbers reach 800. We then tested the third scenario and discovered that if you triple the number, you will get 1,200 patients at GHC 4.7 million per month and GHC 56.7 million per year, rounded up to GHC 57 million. So it shows that if you want to roll out free dialysis for every Ghanaian, you’ll need at least GHC 20 million to GHC 57 million per year.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
