The medical director of Rabito Clinic, Dr. Jehu Appiah, has pushed for the creation of a Kidney Fund by the government in order to treat the rising number of kidney failure cases in the nation.
He emphasized the widespread usage of herbal bitters and the high rate of dialysis among Ghanaians suffering from terminal conditions like diabetes.
The importance of the Kidney Fund supporting patients and possibly incorporating dialysis into health insurance coverage was underscored by Dr. Appiah.
With the cedi losing value vs the dollar, he raised concern over the high treatment expenses that are linked to consumables.
Many patients choose public hospitals because they can’t afford the dialysis machines available at private hospitals.
On February 13, 2024, Dr. Appiah, who is a member of the National Democratic Congress’s COVID-19 emergency response team, made these statements in an interview with Odehyeeba Kofi Essuman on Accra 100.5 FM’s Ghana Yenspom morning show.
“As NDC members, we will not wait for the NDC to take office before we start developing ideas for the advancement of the people’s health needs,” he declared.
In a related situation, just three months after paying off an original debt of GH₵4 million, the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital’s (KBTH) Renal Dialysis unit now owes GH₵2 million for treating kidney patients.
The Director of Medical Affairs at KBTH, Dr. Owusu Sekyere, clarified that renal patients are only able to pay for half of the cost of dialysis treatments, which results in debt accumulation.
He disclosed that the hospital’s dialysis expenses exceed GH₵720 cedis, while patients pay GH₵380, resulting in a significant financial disparity.
In order to solve the budgetary issues, Dr. Sekyere believes that Parliament would accept their suggested rates.
Even with the current GH₵380 cost, Baafour Kojo Ahenkora, President of the Renal Patients Association of Ghana, highlighted the financial burden on members.
