The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has strongly refuted claims made by the current Health Minister, Hon. Kwabena Akando, regarding the alleged expiration of the free dialysis initiative.
The Minister stated that the GHC 2 million allocation for the program by the previous NPP administration had expired in December 2024.
However, the NPP insists that free dialysis remains available and is part of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Setting the record straight, Former Presidential Advisor on Health and Chair of the Dialysis Committee, Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, explained that the NPP government introduced the free dialysis program in June 2024 as a pilot initiative.
According to him, the pilot phase, which ended on November 30, 2024, was highly successful.
“The technical working group recommended the addition of dialysis permanently on the benefits package from 1st December 2024.
“The implementation of the permanent dialysis on the benefits package started smoothly and per the recommendations of the technical team, an amount of 20 to 57 million cedis were needed annually for the dialysis, covering about 1,200 to 1,500 patients per year.”
Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare
He further disclosed that the Finance Minister, after the initial disbursement of GHC 2 million as allocated by Parliament to the NHIA, supplemented the program with an additional GHC 2.4 million from the corporate social responsibility budget.
This brought the total funding for the pilot phase to GHC 4.4 million, though some of the funds remained underutilized.
Dr. Nsiah-Asare underscored that the previous government had taken deliberate steps to ensure the sustainability of the free dialysis program.
As part of this effort, GHC 57 million was earmarked from the GHC 1.9 billion vote-on-account budget allocated to the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) for the first quarter of 2025.
He explained that this allocation was a clear demonstration of the government’s commitment to maintaining the initiative, allowing for its seamless continuation.
By incorporating the cost of free dialysis treatment into the budget, the previous administration sought to guarantee its annual implementation throughout 2025, ensuring that patients who depend on the program would not face disruptions in access to life-saving care.
Dr. Nsiah-Asare pointed out that 20 health facilities were designated by the NHIA in December 2024 to provide dialysis services, with the support of 45 dialysis machines secured through partner collaborations.
These services, he noted, are still in operation and have been confirmed by the President of the Dialysis Association.
Accordingly, he challenged Hon. Akando to clarify his intentions regarding the program. “If the Health Minister wants to cancel dialysis, he should tell us.”
He emphasized that the decision to expand the benefits package is a technical matter, not a political one.
He urged the minister to refrain from interfering and allow dialysis patients to continue benefiting from the program without disruption. “The Minister has the opportunity to enhance it.”
NPP Communicator Supports Nsiah-Asare’s Claims
Backing Dr. Nsiah-Asare’s statement, NPP Communicator Dennis Miracles Aboagye dismissed Hon. Akando’s claims as “completely false“.
He reiterated that the NPP government had made an initial allocation of GHC 2 million for free dialysis, with the NHIA later adding another GHC 2.4 million, bringing the total fund availability to GHC 4.4 million.
“Mindful of the Free Dialysis program, the NPP government decided to embed free dialysis as one of the claims on the Health Insurance Scheme, just as the scheme pays for malaria or typhoid treatment.”
Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare
He pointed out that the NHIA budget experienced a substantial rise, increasing from GHC 4.7 billion in 2023 to GHC 6.8 billion in 2024, with projections exceeding GHC 8 billion in 2025.
Aboagye stated that the NHIA Board had already approved this enhanced budget, which includes free dialysis, pending final approval from Parliament.
He argued that the initiative had been well planned and executed to provide continuous care for patients needing dialysis.
“The NPP government ensured free dialysis was part of the regular NHIS claims for sustainability. As of midnight on 7th January 2025, free dialysis has always been there for the Ghanaian people.”
Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare
Accordingly, Aboagye strongly criticized the National Democratic Congress (NDC), accusing them of trying to undermine the free dialysis initiative for political gain.
He referred to them as the “Settings and Packaging Government”, implying that they prioritize political maneuvering over substantive policy.
He urged the current administration to focus on maintaining the program rather than searching for justifications to discontinue it.
He emphasized that ensuring the sustainability of this vital healthcare intervention should take precedence over partisan politics, as many Ghanaians depend on it for life-saving treatment.
The back-and-forth between the NPP and NDC regarding the status of free dialysis continues to generate heated discussions.
While the NPP maintains that funding was secured and integrated into the NHIA’s benefits package, the Health Minister’s claim of the program’s expiration has raised concerns among patients and advocacy groups.
The controversy underscores the need for transparency in health policy implementation and the commitment of successive governments to ensuring access to life-saving treatments for all Ghanaians.
As stakeholders await further clarification from the Ministry of Health, dialysis patients and their families remain hopeful that the program will not be discontinued.
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