The Renal Patients Association of Ghana has urged government to expand dialysis infrastructure nationwide to address rising demand and prevent avoidable deaths.

The Association called for the establishment of additional dialysis centres in regional hospitals, repair and replacement of faulty machines, and a review of funding models to attract private sector participation.

Mr Baffour Kojo Ahenkorah, President of the Association, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that although the government’s free dialysis policy had improved access, it had significantly increased demand, drawing patients from across the country to major teaching hospitals.

He said despite recent improvements in the supply of consumables, the major challenge remained the inadequate number of dialysis machines.

Mr. Ahenkorah said the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital alone had more than 400 kidney patients but only about 30 dialysis machines, with 20 dedicated to patients under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) free dialysis programme, while 10 served fee-paying patients.

He said patients under the NHIS programme often endured long waiting times, with some arriving as early as 0100 hours to secure a session that might not begin until several hours later.

Mr. Ahenkorah described the situation as unsustainable, explaining that ideally each dialysis machine should run about three sessions daily to allow for maintenance and longevity.

“Instead, machines are operating almost continuously from Sunday through to Friday, due to the numbers, increasing the likelihood of breakdowns and service disruptions,” he said.

Mr. Ahenkorah said the situation was more severe outside Accra, citing reports from the Cape Coast government hospital where only five out of 15 dialysis machines were functioning, compelling more than 100 patients to share limited access.

He said as a result, dialysis sessions had been reduced from the recommended four hours to two and a half hours, compromising treatment quality and increasing the risk of complications and death.

Mr. Ahenkorah also expressed concern about the rising number of young patients, many between the ages of 19 and 30.

He attributed the trend to hypertension, diabetes, poor diet, alcohol consumption, and lack of regular medical check-ups.

Mr. Ahenkorah called for intensified public education and regular health screening to enable early detection and management of kidney disease before dialysis becomes necessary.

He warned that without immediate and coordinated action; the country risked a surge in preventable deaths from kidney failure.

Mr. Ahenkorah appealed to the government to invest in infrastructure, prioritise early detection, and empower citizens to take charge of their health.

Meanwhile, medical professionals have raised concerns about the sustainability of the free dialysis initiative, citing the absence of dedicated funding.

They said the lack of a clearly defined budget was placing pressure on hospitals, health workers, and patients, and questioned the long-term viability of the policy.

“If there is no budget for it, then it is not sustainable,” a clinician said, referring to the government’s widely publicised free dialysis programme.

“Dialysis requires consumables, machines, and trained personnel. If these are not adequately funded, only a limited number of patients will benefit.”

The expert noted that many centres were overwhelmed despite the introduction of free dialysis services.

“The units are full. Patients come in large numbers, but we do not have the resources to accommodate everyone.

“There must be an honest national conversation. Do we truly have the resources to provide free dialysis for all? If not, then we must rethink the policy or consider partial subsidies instead of making promises that cannot be fulfilled.”