Starting December 1, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) will cover dialysis treatment as part of its general healthcare services.
Dr. Dacosta Aboagye, Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), revealed this in an interview, providing clarity into the modalities and sustainability of this nationwide project.
Dr. Aboagye explained that the NHIA initiated a pilot project six months ago to gather critical data on dialysis coverage.
The pilot project targeted specific groups: children below 18 years and adults aged 60 and above were allocated eight sessions, while individuals aged 19 to 59 received two sessions.
“We really wanted to know the data and we wanted to be informed by the data and going forward what we could do.”
Dr. Dacosta Aboagye Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA)
The pilot project revealed discrepancies in patient numbers. While the association of dialysis patients estimated around 700 participants, the actual data showed only about 400 individuals utilized the services. This insight informed the NHIA’s modeling and cost projections.
Dr. Aboagye detailed the modeling scenarios used to estimate the prevalence of end-stage kidney disease and the associated costs of whether the NHIA Can cover dialysis treatment.
Two research studies provided estimates of 24 and 39 patients per million population, translating to between 800 and 1,200 patients nationwide based on Ghana’s population of 33 million.
“In doing just a used a simple calculation, if 24 is to a million how many in terms of 33 million population would we get? So, when we did that, we got around 800 or 804 so we put it around 800.’’
Dr. Dacosta Aboagye Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA)
Baseline Scenario; Assuming 400 patients, the annual cost for eight sessions per patient at GH₵490 per session would total approximately GH₵20 million.
Doubling the Numbers; With 800 patients, the annual cost rises to GH₵40 million.
Tripling the Numbers; For 1,200 patients, the cost increases to GH₵57 million annually.
According to Dr. Aboagye, the scenarios confirm that regardless of the patient numbers, the NHIS will require between GH₵20 million and GH₵57 million annually for dialysis coverage across the country.
Funding Sources and Sustainability
The NHIA Chief assured Ghanaians that the program is financially sustainable. He noted that Parliament had already approved GH 419 million as the country’s dialysis cost.
He noted that funding for the pilot project was unique. We allocated a global budget to participating facilities, and they haven’t fully utilized it. We still have about GH₵2 million remaining.
Looking ahead, Dr. Aboagye said the NHIA has secured additional funding. For the first quarter of 2025, the finance minister has allocated GH₵2 billion, equating to over GH₵600 million per month. This budget is projected to increase from GH₵6 billion to over GH₵8 billion annually.
Dr. Aboagye also addressed concerns about funding caps. The NHIA operates under a 20% cap on its budget, which has been factored into its financial models.
“We look at the second scenario in terms of the funding source then we noted that we are cut at 20%. So, if you are cut at 20% and you use that in modeling [then] our current budget is GH₵6.8 billion. So, what this means is that is simple calculation [of] 20 over 100 by the GH6.8 gives you about GH₵1.3 billion more money coming in. So, in 2025 regardless of the situation, if you look at both the NPP and NDC manifestos, we know that GH1.3 billion will be coming in.’’
Dr. Dacosta Aboagye Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA)
Key Challenges and Commitment to Success
Dr. Aboagye highlighted the NHIA’s commitment to ensuring the program’s success despite potential challenges. He emphasized;
“With this, we are confident that it is sustainable and we would be able to fund dialysis [and with] provision of equipment as well.’’
Dr. Dacosta Aboagye Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA)
The inclusion of dialysis treatment under the NHIS marks a significant milestone in Ghana’s healthcare system.
As Dr. Aboagye emphasized, the NHIA has meticulously planned for this rollout, ensuring financial sustainability and readiness to meet the needs of Ghanaians.
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