The Accra Newtown Islamic Hospital, a private healthcare facility known for its wide range of services, has officially joined the government’s initiative to provide free dialysis under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). The move by the hospital is expected to bring significant relief to kidney patients in Accra and beyond.
According to Rahmatu Issah, the General Manager of the hospital, the free dialysis policy is a game-changer for patients who previously struggled to afford treatment.
“Most of our clients were spending around GH¢6,000 monthly on dialysis, which posed a huge burden on them and their families. With the NHIS now covering these costs, it has greatly eased their financial stress,” she told journalists on a visit to the facility on Thursday, December 5, 2024.
SERVICE
The hospital, which began offering dialysis services in August 2024, currently serves about 30 regular clients. The dialysis adds to the other healthcare services the hospital provides including General Out Patient, Antenatal, laboratory tests, major and minor surgeries, and eye care services.
It is equipped with ten dialysis machines, including two in a dedicated isolation centre for patients with special conditions such as Hepatitis B. The hospital’s capacity allows it to provide up to 30 dialysis sessions daily, and plans are underway to expand this number further.
Rahmatu Issah emphasised that the hospital prioritised joining the policy despite the NHIA’s tariff of GH¢491 per session being lower than their previous charges. “We saw it as an opportunity to support our community and ensure access to this life-saving treatment,” she said.
RISING CASES
The hospital’s participation in the free dialysis policy comes at a critical time, as kidney-related diseases are on the rise among young adults aged 24 to 40. Causes range from chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes to lifestyle factors such as alcohol and drug abuse.
The General Manager indicated that the hospital was also working on prevention campaigns, including community education and radio programs, to reduce the prevalence of kidney diseases. With the NHIS free dialysis policy in place, she said the hospital was optimistic about retaining more patients who previously dropped out of treatment due to financial constraints.
Rahmatu Issah expressed confidence in the government’s ability to sustain the initiative, which she opined would transform the lives of many patients and their families.
According to her, the hospital’s involvement solidifies its role as a key healthcare provider in the Accra Newtown community, committed to improving patient outcomes and supporting national health policies.
RELIEF
Some dialysis patients who were on their procedure spoke highly of the intervention by the government to pay for the session. A young man aged 24, who was on one of the dialysis machines at the Accra Newtown Islamic Hospital at the time of the visit, described the policy as a huge financial relief to him and his family.
He said that it was a struggle to ‘cough up’ over GH¢1,000 weekly to ensure he had the prescribed two sessions, as family and friends had reached their limits in supporting him. As a result, he attended one session when he had money.
Another patient, who would be in his 40s, shared similar sentiments. But for him, he only visited the hospital for his session as and when he found money, at the risk of his health.
All the patients were full of joy with the introduction of the policy, as they are able to have the required two sessions per week.
Meanwhile, they urged the government to sustain the policy, describing it as laudable.
The public was advised to take their health seriously in order not to suffer kidney diseases, which are on the rise, especially among the youth.
