Renal Association President calls for nationwide dialysis expansion and full NHIS for kidney treatmentPresident of the Renal Patient Association, Kojo Baffour Ahenkorah, has urged the government to expand renal units to district hospitals nationwide and ensure that kidney disease treatment is fully covered under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).Mr. Ahenkorah highlighted that before the government introduced the free six-month treatment program, many kidney patients were unable to access necessary care due to financial constraints.Speaking on Happy Kasiebo, he expressed concern that once the free treatment period ends, these patients will likely be unable to continue their treatment, returning to the previous situation.He also pointed out that many individuals in the country are unaware they have kidney disease, while those who know are turning to traditional herbal remedies due to financial difficulties, often with fatal consequences.This appeal follows a revelation from the renal unit at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, where the demand for renal services has more than tripled since the introduction of the free dialysis program.Authorities at KATH reported that the six machines at the renal unit are now insufficient, leading to extended service periods for the dialysis equipment.Mr. Ahenkorah acknowledged the challenges at KATH and called on the government to provide additional dialysis machines. He noted that even at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, there are 15 dialysis machines, but only 10 are currently operational.He emphasized that the free dialysis treatment is currently available at six teaching hospitals namely Korle Bu, Komfo Anokye, Cape Coast, Efia Nkwanta, Ho, and Tamale, but these he said are not enough.He suggested that if the government could allocate at least five dialysis machines to district hospitals across the country, the situation would improve significantly.He shared that some association members travel from distant places like Bekro and Kibi to Korle Bu for treatment.Mr. Ahenkorah revealed that the association plans to submit a proposal to the government to address these issues. He also pleaded with the current and future governments to include dialysis treatment in the NHIS, stressing that the cost of sustaining dialysis treatment is too high for any individual to bear alone.
President of the Kidney Patients Association, Kojo Baffour Ahenkorah, has stated that the Korle-Bu Renal Unit has been given until Monday to address their concerns.
He said if there is no response by then, the association will picket the unit.
Mr. Ahenkorah explained that the Korle-Bu Renal Unit has been non-operational for almost two weeks without any communication from authorities.
This he said has left patients in a difficult position, as they cannot afford the high costs of private treatment, leading to increased mortality rates among them.
Speaking in an interview with Happy Kasiebo, Mr. Ahenkorah expressed frustration over the lack of communication and said that, having waited patiently for almost two weeks, they are now turning to the media to voice their concerns.
He announced that they are giving the Korle-Bu Renal Unit until Monday to respond. If they do not hear anything from them, they will picket outside the unit, bringing mattresses, medications, and other essentials to sleep there “for them to know that they have already sentenced them to death”.
Mr. Ahenkorah criticized the recurring nature of this problem, noting that this is the fifth time such incident has happened.
He questioned why the issue remains unresolved and emphasized that patients are paying for the services they receive, yet are still facing these challenges.
In response to whether they are benefiting from the government’s six-month free dialysis program, he stated that while the program was supposed to start on June 1, 2024, he only learned yesterday that its implementation has begun.
However, since the unit has been closed for the past two weeks, it raises concerns about how it could be in effect during this time.
He added that if it is indeed being implemented, it will be apparent once the unit reopens.
