He explained that under the policy which took effect yesterday, dialysis treatment for patients under 18 years and those above 60 years would be free.
Dr Bawumia, who is also the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), announced the initiative during a meeting with the clergy in the Central Region as part of his tour to the region yesterday.
The meeting formed part of his tour in meeting with identifiable bodies in the region.
Dr Bawumia further stated that, those who do not fall under the two categories would have their dialysis treatment subsidised.
He explained that, the intervention was due to the high demand for dialysis in the country and it is financial challenges due to the high cost involved.
The government upon consideration and assessment of the situation came up with the intervention to ease the burden on Ghanaians who had to undergo dialysis due to kidney disease.
“Dialysis treatment is very expensive and the number of patients and demand is going up,” he said.
He commended Ghanaians for promoting religious tolerance in the country and explained that, the level of religious tolerance was critical in fostering the current peace prevailing in the country.
He, therefore underscored the need for Ghanaians not to allow any individual to sow a seed of discord to destroy the peace and unity in the country.
Dr Bawumia further said that, the linking of every government worker with their Ghana card as a result of digitisation, had contributed towards addressing the issue of ghost names.
For instance, he mentioned the elimination of 44,000 ghost names from the national service scheme and said, it had saved the country GH¢420 million.
He said that, the government was working to network the entire health sector through digitisation to ensure easy access to patients’ records.
The Vice President said currently the network of all teaching, regional and district hospitals had been completed, saying, “So far over 302 hospitals has been done.
“By the end of next year we will finish every clinic and every CHPS compound and all the data will be put together,” he said.
Touching on enhancing the country’s tax regime, Dr Bawumia expressed his commitment to implement a flat tax rate system in the country if he assumes power in 2025.
That, he said, would help address the disagreement and hostilities existing between tax payers and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
He indicated that, the Free SHS policy was one of the most important inventions made in the history of the country.
He explained that, enrolment had increased from 800,000 to 1.4 million in the last seven years.
FROM DAVID YARBOI-TETTEH, CAPE COAST
