Health Minister Slams GH¢4m Allocation for Dialysis Programme, Demands Sustainable Solution
Accra, Ghana - 16 March, 2025 - A severe funding crisis is threatening to cripple Ghana's free dialysis programme, with the Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, warning that the current allocation of GH¢4 million is woefully inadequate to meet the needs of patients across the country.
Akandoh's criticism comes as the programme struggles to provide essential care to those relying on it, with the minister attributing the funding shortfall to the previous administration's failure to provide a sustainable funding mechanism.
The programme's financial woes are compounded by the high cost of dialysis treatment, with Akandoh emphasizing the need for a reliable and sustainable funding source to ensure the long-term viability of the programme.
Speaking to the Parliamentary Press Corps, Akandoh revealed that only GH¢2 million of the allocated funds came directly from the government, with the remaining GH¢2 million sourced from corporate social responsibility initiatives.
“I was a ranking member on the Health Committee of Parliament and there were no sustainable sources of funding for the dialysis. It never happened. We even suggested to make provision for dialysis and they allocated GH¢2 million. And they had to go and take an additional GH¢2 million from corporate social responsibility and I can tell you, GH¢4 million cannot take care of dialysis in the whole country.
“So there needs to be a sustainable and a reliable source of funding. Look, if we decide to put all manner of diseases on the National Health Insurance Scheme, it will collapse. You have no idea about how it costs to treat heart disease or chronic disease and surgeries.”
Source: Lead News Online
