President of the Ghana Kidney Association, Prof. Sampson Antei, has expressed concern over the high cost of kidney dialysis, noting that it is an expensive treatment that many patients worldwide cannot afford out of their own pockets.

“Affordability has been the major challenge and this has existed over all these years,” he said while contributing to Kidney Health Matters on JoyNews on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

Mr. Antei stated that the Ghana Kidney Association is working to reduce the cost of dialysis. This discussion arose after the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital raised the per-session dialysis cost for individuals with kidney conditions by more than 100%.

An announcement on the department's door had indicated, "the cost of dialysis has been increased from GH¢380 to GH¢765.42."

However, the hospital attributed the steep increase to high taxation. Following significant opposition, the hospital management was compelled to reverse its decision.

The president of the Ghana Kidney Association also expressed the hope that no kidney patients progress to the end stage. He emphasized the critical nature of this stage, where patients may face life-threatening circumstances without access to an artificial kidney.

He explained that kidney disease has five stages, and the condition can be managed up to the first four stages. However, once it reaches stage five, it signifies that the kidney has completely ceased to function, and patients may need to rely on an artificial kidney.

“We know everywhere in the world that the cost of treatment of getting an artificial kidney what we call kidney replacement therapy i.e. dialysis or kidney transplant is so expensive yet that is the solution. It is a solution to what otherwise being a dead end would.”

For this reason, he said, “We pray that people with kidney disease do not get to what we call the end stage.”