Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has revealed that President John Dramani Mahama has directed the extension of the government’s dialysis subsidy to include private health facilities.
The announcement was made during the inauguration of a 13-member governing board for the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as “Mahama Cares,” a flagship initiative aimed at providing financial support for the treatment of chronic non-communicable diseases.
According to Mr. Akandoh, the government will now cover GH₵500 of the cost charged per dialysis session at private health facilities, mirroring the subsidy already available at public hospitals.
“The current arrangement for payment of dialysis is that if you go to public health facilities, we have a maximum amount of money we pay per session, that’s around 499, something about 500 Ghana cedis. What we have realised is that there are people who also go to private facilities, and so, it’s a necessity; the President has directed us to give what is paid to the public facilities,” he explained.
He further clarified, “So, for example, if you go to private facility A and they are charging you 1,000 Ghana cedis, the government will pay the 500 Ghana cedis, and you top up, to be fair to everybody. So, the CEO for the National Health Insurance has been directed accordingly to take up that challenge.”
The Minister also used the occasion to appeal to corporate organisations and individuals to support the government’s efforts by contributing to the Medical Trust Fund.
“We cannot do it all alone. It is the partnership between the government and corporate Ghana that will take us far. Other corporate bodies have come on board, like Telecel Group of Companies, and there are some banks as well,” Mr. Akandoh noted.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
