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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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