National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) may cover other chronic diseases in addition to renal disorders, according to a statement made by the CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
Dr. Dacosta Aboagye stated on PM Express on JoyNews that kidney disease is not the only chronic sickness that affects the nation.
Accordingly, he informed presenter Evans Mensah, the NHIA is doing actuarial assessments to inform the way forward following the first announced six months of coverage for renal disease.
“So my advice, of the government knows about this, of which we are working together, is that we should look at it in totality. How do we fund chronic diseases, including dialysis?
“So what is happening is that we’ll use this as learning to obviously see what we can do. By that time, the actuarial study would have been ready,” Dr Aboagye said.
Regarding which other chronic diseases might be included, the NHIA CEO said that he cannot prematurely disclose any other details to prevent expectations.
“But what I know is that we are looking at it in totality.
It’s not the case that we are only going to look at kidney diseases. We are going to look at other diseases. Governments do have a comprehensive plan from where I sit to not only focus on kidney diseases but other chronic diseases,” Dr Aboagye added.
This comes after it was revealed that renal patients would receive free six-month dialysis support from June to December of 2024.
The support was provided by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in a statement dated June 1.
The NHIA stated that patients enrolled in the dialysis programme fall into two categories: those who are 60 years of age or older and those who are between the ages of 18 and 59.
According to the scheme, “patients under 18 and above 60 years old will receive all eight free dialysis sessions per month,” with a cumulative cost estimated to be approximately GH₵ 2.3 million.
It added that “patients from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH), Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital (EFRH), Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH), and Tamale Teaching Hospital will receive two dialysis sessions per month at GH₵ 982.00, that is, GH₵ 491 per session.”
“The cost of dialysis for this treatment category [persons aged 18 to 59 years] is projected to be GH₵144,354 per month and by the end of December 2024, the cumulative cost is estimated to be approximately GH₵ 1.01 million.”
Renal patients at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KATH) would receive GH₵491 per month for two dialysis sessions; however, they will not benefit from the above.
This NHIA clarified that this is because renal patients are the beneficiaries of a charitable donation of GH₵380.00.
Dr. Aboagye stated that preventive healthcare would be made available through the NHIA.
He said that the transition from a curative to a preventive approach is critical to lowering the overall cost of healthcare.
“So the National Health Insurance Scheme, by next month, will be rolling out what we call the preventive healthcare as part of the claims budget.
The reason is that we cannot have a disease under the under the National Health Insurance Scheme.
“So far, since its inception, we have been focusing on curative and services. How do we start from the basis by introducing something that will reduce these chronic diseases and the cost burden?”