Cost of dialysis at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital increased to GHC491

Dozens of dialysis patients have been forced to skip their life-saving treatments due to an increase in cost.

The price hike, from 380 to 491, has rendered the treatment unaffordable for many, plunging them into a desperate situation.

These patients, already grappling with the challenges of managing their health conditions, now find themselves in an impossible dilemma

For these patients, it’s a bitter pill to swallow.

According to Abigail Ohenewaa Mintah, a kidney patient, the distressing aspect of the situation lies in the fact that the cost hike was approved by Parliament.

She expressed her frustration, stating, “I skipped my session as a result of the price increase. I can’t eat although I am hungry, and it is affecting me a lot because I don’t want to be too heavy.”

Kwaku Kwarteng, another patient, echoed similar sentiments, saying, “Now you are even afraid to drink water or eat because you don’t know where you are going to get money for the dialysis.”

President of the Dialysis Patients Association, Kojo Bafour Ahenkora, lamented that the increment could have been postponed until efforts to include dialysis treatment costs under the National Health Insurance Scheme were finalized.

He urged authorities to reconsider the decision, stating, “If it’s Parliament who did this, we beg them to revisit the issues and do something about it.”

Conversations surrounding dialysis have long been prominent, with the cost of treatment and insufficient machines remaining persistent issues.

As patients continue to grapple with the financial burden, their plea for affordable access to essential healthcare.