Free dialysis: We are going to reimburse patients who have paid – Dr. Nsiah-Asare

The government is working with all the necessary authorities in the health sector to reimburse kidney patients who have paid for dialysis services despite an announcement for free sessions, Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, has said.

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has absorbed the cost of dialysis for all patients at varying proportions, with the vulnerable group receiving eight free sessions per month.

The scheme said it would pay for the cost of all eight dialysis sessions per month for patients aged under 18 and above 60 years, which it categorised as the vulnerable group, for an initial period of six months.

The acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr Da-Costa Aboagye, said for patients aged 18 to 59 years, the scheme would absorb the cost of two dialysis sessions per month at GH¢982, that is GH¢491 per session, at all government facilities offering dialysis services, except the Korle-Bu Teaching hospital.

Despite this initiative, patients who visit government facilities are yet to benefit.

However, Dr. Nsiah-Asare stressed that government facilities offering dialysis treatment would have to refund monies taken from the patients.

He said negotiations were still ongoing with the necessary authorities to finalise this intervention.

“Refund policy goes through a process before it is finalised, so we look forward to getting it done,” Dr Nsiah-Asare said in an interview with TV3.

He said the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, in particular, is scheduled to meet with top hospital administrators to discuss lingering challenges surrounding the delivery of the free renal service.