The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says the free and subsidized dialysis treatment is not limited to its subscribers.

According to the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Dacosta Aboagye, all persons in need of dialysis were factored into the authority’s policy.

“Every person in need of dialysis qualifies for the service. It doesn’t matter if they have the cards or not, they should get the service they come to seek”, he emphasized.

The NHIA management toured the KATH Renal Unit to witness the roll out of the policy which will run for six months.

The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital has started offering free dialysis treatment to patients under a new initiative of the National Health Insurance Authority.

About twenty people who qualify for the service have benefited from the initiative since Friday.
At the time of the visit, two people were undergoing dialysis at the renal unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

Until today, each of the two persons would have paid at least GHS 595 for the session which is done at least twice a week.

But with the new policy implementation, the session is free for persons below eighteen and above sixty years as well as subsidized for those captured between 19 and 59 years.

Deputy Medical Director at KATH, Dr. Yaw Opare Larbi says challenges which resulted in the delayed implementation have been resolved. The hospital is issuing forms to patients to make claims of earlier charges.

“Right after our meeting on Friday, the team went to work and we started rolling it out. We started using the forms that were provided by the NHIA so as has been mentioned, all those who from the 1st of June paid money for dialysis will be reimbursed once the information is put together and sent to the NHIA”, he said.

The dialysis process takes about four hours per session. With the expansion of the renal unit from two to seven dialysis machines, the hospital puts at least fourteen patients on dialysis.

With the free and subsidized services, the management of the Komfo Anokye hospital is anticipating a surge in the number.

Nonetheless, Dr. Dacosta Aboagye has assured of financing for the policy.

“From the NHIA, we have the money available so we will reimburse them once the claims are submitted to us. This is a special project and dear to the government. Government has a comprehensive plan not only for kidney disease but for chronic diseases.”

Before the implementation of the new initiative, the NHIA was funding acute kidney injury.

Though the new policy has expanded the reach of the intervention, there are calls for more to be done.

Head of Renal Unit at KATH, Dr. Pediter Okyere added that, “The acute kidney injury was previously on the health insurance so that one was dealt with. This policy looks at the chronic people. I advocate for patients, so we are asking for more”.