THE National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has disbursed GH₵587,236,000 in fulfilment of its promise to six major healthcare providers across the country.
The healthcare providers are Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH), Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital (ENRH), Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH), Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) after they had all submitted their respective list of chronic dialysis patients that received treatment in June.
A press statement issued and signed by the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Dacosta Aboagye, in Accra on Sunday and copied the Ghanaian Times, said the payment marked the first month of implementation under the government’s new initiative aimed at supporting patients undergoing chronic dialysis treatment.
The statement said the move followed parliament’s approval of GH¢2 million to assist patients requiring dialysis in various parts of the country.
“The hospitals will manage the funds and ensure that all patients who may have paid out of pocket during the month of June will be fully reimbursed according to the approved amount for the various categories of patients,” it added.
The statement said patients aged 18 and below and 60 years and above would receive all eight free dialysis sessions per month under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) from June to December 2024.
Persons aged 19 to 59 years seeking treatment at KATH, CCTH, ENRH, HTH, and TTH except KBTH, would receive two free dialysis sessions per month.
Adult patients (19 to 59) receiving treatment at KBTH would receive a subsidy for two dialysis sessions per month, meaning the NHIA would cover 50 per cent of the cost of the two sessions.
It expressed appreciation to the Government and Parliament for their continuous support as they work towards providing access to quality healthcare for all.
It would be recalled that the NHIA in a recent publication announced the introduction of free dialysis coverage for some vulnerable patient categories.
This arrangement was approved by Parliament within the NHIA’s Allocation Formula for 2024 and was initiated in June.
Under this arrangement, selected healthcare providers are to receive payment for treating dialysis patients up to the tune of GH¢ 4.4 million, made up of GH¢2 million from the Allocation Formula and GH¢ 2.4 million from the NHIA’s Corporate Social Responsibility Budget for this fiscal year.
This move formed part of an effort to enhance access to and affordability of dialysis treatment for patients in Ghana.
