CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Dr. Da Coasta Aboagye has announced that a total of 4.4millon Ghana cedis will be disbursed to cater for renal patients on dialysis nationwide.
In an interview with JoyNews, Dr. Aboagye mentioned that major health facilities such as Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Tamale teaching hospital, Cape Coast teaching hospital, Ho and Efia Nkwanta Teaching hospitals will have some renal patients treated at the subsidized fees provided they fall within the brackets of 18 and below and 60 and above, a category he termed needy and vulnerable.
According to the CEO, the NHIA together with the government would help cut down the numbers in the chronic dialysis bracket, through the authority’s CSR contribution of 2.4 million and a disbursement of 2 million from government to facilitate the initiative.
“After one or two consultations with government, we made a proposal to parliament to give us ‘seed money’ to cover an aspect of dialysis starting from the health committee. Because the budget had gone through appropriation, it was difficult; so we were looking for a place to start and it was suggested that 2 million can be taken from the corporate social responsibility (CSR) and so a committee was set up to cater for the funds.”
“The target mainly was vulnerable (18 and below), (60 and above) patients, and another 2.4 million to cater for the other age bracket thus (19 – 59). The data given by Korle Bu were already under philanthropic care while the other health facilities were not, so for equity purposes we allocated 2 sessions free of charge to patients in Korle Bu.”
Dr. Aboagye also noted that new renal patients if found will be covered in terms of subsidized costs, with the condition that they are within the vulnerable bracket (18 and below) and (60 and above) and have been included in the current data at their disposal.
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Story by: Atiah Eunice | univers.ug.edu.gh
