Former Presidential Health Advisor, Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, has clarified that the decision to implement free dialysis under the previous government was based purely on technical considerations, not political influence.

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He explained that a specialized team of experts designed the policy to improve healthcare access. Introduced in 2024, the initiative sought to ease the financial burden on individuals suffering from kidney disease.

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During an interview on Citi FM on March 13, 2025, Dr. Nsiah-Asare stressed that the decision stemmed from expert evaluations within the framework of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) rather than any political agenda.

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“I want to bring to the minister’s attention that this was a technical decision, not a political one. The Health Insurance Scheme operates with a technical committee responsible for reviewing and expanding its benefits. In 2022, alongside free dialysis, we introduced coverage for six additional chronic diseases. We also incorporated an annual free medical check-up for all active NHIS cardholders. These decisions were based purely on technical recommendations, not political directives,” he stated.

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Despite the programme’s potential benefits, it faced pushback from some opposition members. In 2024, Kwabena Mintah-Akandoh, then the ranking member of the Health Committee, dismissed the initiative as a political gimmick.

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He argued that the programme lacked a clear policy structure and accused the government of failing to deliver on its healthcare promises.

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