A sudden price hike has left dozens of dialysis patients in a precarious situation, forcing them to skip their life-saving treatments. The cost of these treatments has skyrocketed from 380 to 491 Ghana cedis, making it unaffordable for many patients who rely on them to survive.
As a result, these patients are now facing a desperate situation, unsure of how they will access the treatment they need to stay alive. The price increase has created a significant barrier to healthcare access, leaving vulnerable individuals in a state of uncertainty and fear for their future.
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Abigail Ohenewaa Mintah, a dialysis patient, shared her distress and frustration over the recent price hike, which was approved by Parliament. “I skipped my session as a result of the price increase. I can’t eat, although I am hungry, and it is affecting me a lot because I don’t want to be too heavy,” she said.
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The sudden increase in treatment costs has left them with an agonising decision to make, one that feels like a cruel fate. The situation is a harsh reality for them to confront, a painful truth that’s difficult to accept.
These patients, already struggling to cope with the demands of their health conditions, are now faced with an unbearable predicament.
Kwaku Kwarteng, another patient, shared a similar plight, saying, “Now you are even afraid to drink water or eat because you don’t know where you are going to get money for the dialysis.”
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Kojo Bafour Ahenkora, President of the Dialysis Patients Association, expressed frustration and disappointment that the price hike was implemented without considering the ongoing efforts to include dialysis treatment costs in the National Health Insurance Scheme. He appealed to the authorities to reconsider their decision, saying, “If it’s Parliament who did this, we beg them to revisit the issues and do something about it.”
Dialysis has been a topic of discussion for a long time, with the high cost of treatment and inadequate machine availability being ongoing concerns. As patients struggle to bear the financial weight of their care, they urgently appeal for affordable access to this essential healthcare service, which is crucial to their survival.
