Kidney transplant is the next thing the NHIS will consider—CEO, NHIA

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Aboagye Dacosta, has revealed that plans are far advanced to consider some level of support for persons who need kidney transplants.

This, he explained, will form part of the third phase of the government’s initiative in providing relief to persons with kidney cases, either at the acute or end stages.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Sir Richie on Rainbow Radio 92.4FM, UK, the medical practitioner indicated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has initiated several policies aimed at providing affordable healthcare for kidney patients.

He said since NPP took over, it rolled out a policy to fund acute kidney cases, but it later realised that those in the end stage and who needed dialysis were facing financial challenges.

“We have two forms of kidney disease. We have acute and chronic conditions. Since we took over, we have funded the acute cases, so that was not a problem. But the end stage was the problem. Those who needed dialysis could not afford it. That was why we spoke to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia about the ten free dialysis initiatives.

Again, we are even moving to the third phase. The third phase is that there are those who need kidney transplants. As I speak with you at the moment, the UGMC will now run the kidney transplant services. It is a medical tourist centre now. We are working on an organ donation policy and will soon finish with it. So we have taken care of all the spectrums of kidney treatment, from acute to chronic and the transplant.

Our kidney treatment strategy and policy is all-inclusive since it addresses acute, chronic, and organ donation, hence covering all spectrums. The government providing us with the necessary resources to work with is the most crucial thing. For this reason, the Vice President has suggested a flat tax structure. This will allow the levies collected for the NHIS to come to us directly rather than the Consolidated Fund.”