President 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 that 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 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.