The management of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital has expressed concerns over its limited capacity to efficiently implement the free dialysis initiative, set to begin on December 1 as promised by the NPP flagbearer and Vice President.
Management expressed that the initiative would place additional pressure on the facility’s limited dialysis machines, which are already overwhelmed by high demand due to the government’s existing program.
Since August 2024, the government has been providing free dialysis treatment for patients over 60 and under 18, along with two free dialysis sessions per month for patients aged 19 to 59. However, the hospital currently has only six operational dialysis machines, serving an average of 18 patients daily, with each session lasting four hours.
In an interview with the Deputy Medical Director of KATH, Dr Yaw Opare Larbi emphasised the urgent need for additional dialysis machines and staff to effectively manage the anticipated increase in demand resulting from the expanded initiative, which will offer free dialysis for all patients on the NHIS starting in December.
“When the announcement came for the package that is running now, our numbers rose significantly. As I speak, we are now on average getting 18 patients a day. Each patient has to be on the machine for four hours and we have six machines so you can see the pressure under which we are. But we are managing with not much space to expand.
“Recently, Ghana Airport Company Limited donated two brand new dialysis machines, we are very thankful to them. The machines arrived on November 9, and they have to be set up by the engineers so that we can add them to what we have. We are waiting for seven more machines to be added to what we have now. As we speak now, we are working with six and waiting on the installation of two that have been donated.
“So, with the six, we are under a lot of pressure…The truth is that to be able to accommodate a large number of patients is going to be a challenge, we need more machines,” he said.
Dr Larbi also called on the government to conduct thorough consultations with healthcare facilities and practitioners before announcing such initiatives.
He stressed the importance of understanding facilities’ needs and making adequate provisions to ensure the smooth and sustainable implementation of healthcare interventions.
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