The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Ghana has announced plans to cover the cost of dialysis for all patients starting this month, albeit at varying proportions.
The scheme will provide free dialysis for eight sessions per month for what it categorizes as the vulnerable group, which includes patients under 18 and those above 60 years of age.
Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye, the acting Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), revealed this development to the media. For patients under 18 and above 60 years, the NHIS will cover the full cost of all eight dialysis sessions per month for an initial period of six months.
For patients aged between 18 and 59 years, the scheme will cover the cost of two dialysis sessions per month at a rate of GH¢491 per session (GH¢982 total) at all government facilities providing dialysis services, except for the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH).
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At KBTH, where a philanthropist already subsidizes each session by GH¢380, the NHIS will cover 50% of the cost per session, adding GH¢245.50 per session for two sessions per month.
The support for the vulnerable group, comprising 84 verified patients, is estimated to cost GH¢329,952 per month and a cumulative sum of GH¢2.3 million over six months. For patients aged 18 to 59, the cost of dialysis for 147 verified patients is estimated at GH¢144,354 per month and about GH¢1.01 million by the end of December this year for all facilities except KBTH.
Apart from KBTH, the other hospitals covered by this initiative include the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH), the Efia Nkwanta Regional Hospital (ENRH), the Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH), and the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH).
The total amount estimated to be absorbed by the NHIS for dialysis costs is GH¢4.35 million by the end of six months, according to Dr. Aboagye.
This move by the NHIS is expected to alleviate the financial burden on patients requiring dialysis and improve access to this critical medical service across the country.