A renal patient, Thomas Cann has described being on dialysis as akin to a death sentence.

He explains that being a dialysis patient is challenging enough without considering the financial burden, saying that daily trips for dialysis sessions and check-ups are both mentally and financially draining.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on May 15, Mr Cann expressed shock about the new higher costs for dialysis sessions.

He said he received the news while at the hospital for his dialysis, which left many patients dismayed. 

“There was this old lady that I often see during my dialysis sections. She was there when the nurses announced that the cost was going to increase immediately. After the announcement, this lady started shivering seriously, so it took her relatives who came with her and one nurse to hold her just because of the price increase,” Mr Cann recalled.

“This came as a shock to all of us, it came as very devastating News.

“For those of us who were advocating that the price will be reduced, the other patients were like is it that our leaders do not care or do not understand all the noise and the pleas we were making?” he added 

“Even if you are employed, it has to take the benevolence of friends and family to support you."

He pointed out that the costs of checkups and regular hospital visits are significant. Even those who work and manage to pay their medical bills need additional support from friends and family

He mentioned that without the support of family and friends, he would not have survived due to the exorbitant costs adding that the government needs to step in and reduce the prices of daily dialysis sessions at the hospital.

Mr Cann stressed that each hospital visit for dialysis is time-consuming due to a lack of sufficient machines.

“For example in Cape Coast General Hospital at the moment they will say that they have five machines there but out of the five only I can tell that two are not fully functioning, the only fully functioning machine is just three the other two somebody has to be by the machine and every 30 seconds reset it for it to function 

He noted that Cape Coast General Hospital serves about 60 dialysis patients, all of whom have to share just three machines.

“Everything about this is just mental challenges.”

Mr Cann mentioned that while doctors recommend he undergo dialysis three times a week, he can only afford to go twice a week due to the high costs, which adversely affects his health.