The Renal Association of Ghana has acknowledged that providing two free dialysis sessions under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has been beneficial for people with kidney problems.
Mr. Baffour Kojo Ahenkorah, president of the association, revealed that this measure has helped reduce the mortality rate among kidney patients.
He made these remarks during an interview on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM.
According to Dr. Ahenkorah, in the past, many kidney patients who needed dialysis were left without hope and, in most cases, awaited death because they couldn’t afford the medically required treatment.
However, he stressed that the introduction of free dialysis under the NHIS has been helpful, even though the association hopes for more coverage in the future.
“The truth is that after the NHIS started supporting kidney patients with two sessions of dialysis, it has reduced the mortality rate,” he said. “In the past, you would see a patient today and tomorrow they would be no more because of their inability to pay for their dialysis sessions. We would have wanted more, but we accept what we have now.”
Mr. Ahenkorah also lamented the shift in the patient demographic, noting that people as young as 16 years old are now on dialysis.
“We have more young people with kidney problems. We have a 16-year-old girl who has been on dialysis since she was 13. We have minors with kidney problems. When you examine the population of kidney patients, the younger ones outnumber the older ones. We have people between 15 to 20 years old with end-stage kidney problems,” he explained.
As a recommendation, he proposed establishing dialysis centers or units at the district level to serve those who currently have to travel long distances to Accra for treatment.
Mr. Ahenkorah’s comments were in response to a question about whether the association had received an update on the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares) and the modalities in place for kidney patients.
He noted that the terms and conditions of the Trust Fund need to be properly explained so the public has clarity on how it will operate.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
