The recent surge in the cost of dialysis treatment, rising from GH¢380 to GH¢491 per session, has plunged thousands of renal patients nationwide into despair.

Renal patients heavily rely on dialysis sessions, typically three times a week, to eliminate waste by-products and excess fluid from their blood, given their compromised kidney function.

However, with the economic downturn exacerbating financial strains, many patients struggle to afford the required frequency of sessions, even at the previous cost of GH¢360 per session.

For some, the financial burden translates to settling for just one or two sessions weekly, compromising their health and risking medical emergencies.

A visit to the Renal Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital post-increment reveals the dire impact of the cost hike, with numerous patients forced to forego treatment due to financial constraints.

One elderly patient shared her ordeal, recounting resorting to street begging to gather funds for her dialysis. Strained familial relationships due to persistent financial requests illustrate the depth of the crisis.

Amidst these challenges, there's a clarion call for the government to integrate dialysis treatment into the National Health Insurance Scheme, offering a lifeline to renal patients grappling with financial hardships.

“I usually have two sessions every week, but when I came on Sunday, the price had changed, so I went home. However, today I was able to get the treatment; I paid GH¢491, and they said they would not reduce it. Therefore, it is the government who can reduce it for us.

“People have blocked my number because I continuously ask for help from them. I had to sit on the streets to beg for money to top up for this session. So, I’m begging, please help us, help us,” the woman said as she was sobbing.

Raphael, another patient affected by the surge in dialysis costs, revealed that even when the treatment was priced at GH¢380, he could only afford one session per week, falling short of the required three.

Struggling to meet the financial demands, Raphael finds himself lingering in the hospital, unable to settle his dues for his last dialysis session.

Baffuor Kojo Ahenkorah, President of the Renal Patients Association of Ghana, echoed similar sentiments in conversation with GhanaWeb.

He urged the government to expedite approval of the GH¢2 million allocated by the National Health Insurance Authority to aid renal patients in coping with the escalated dialysis expenses.

“On Monday, about five people didn’t have dialysis; they went back home because they didn’t have the money. Yesterday, about six patients did not turn up for their session because they don’t have the money.

“Today is the same. Go inside and see, the beds are empty because people are not coming for treatment. I’m just praying I don’t hear any bad news this week that I have lost a patient,” he noted.

In September 2023, the Renal Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital which provides dialysis treatment to persons with malfunctioning kidneys from across Ghana, made news headlines after the cost of the treatment was increased from GH¢380 to GH¢765.

The then Minister for Health, Kweku Agyemang Manu, and the hospital’s leadership were summoned by the Parliament of Ghana over the increment.

Amid the brouhaha surrounding the increment, the Renal Unit was closed with the management of the hospital citing its rising cost of operation and accumulated debts, which, according to reports, resulted in the death of at least 18 people as a result of them not receiving their much-needed dialysis treatment.

The unit was subsequently reopened with the cost of dialysis treatment reverting to the original GH¢380. However, confirmed reports indicate that the cost of the treatment was increased to GH¢491, as of Sunday, May 12, 2024.