The Executive Director of Crime Check Foundation (CCF), Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng has reiterated his appeal to government to include the treatment of kidney-related diseases on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to give poor patients respite.
He lamented the exclusion of the disease on the list of ailments under the NHIS despite the high cost of dialysis treatment.
Mr. Kwarteng made the call when he led a CCF team to support fourteen (14) patients on dialysis at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital’s Renal Unit under the Foundation’s Health Check Series.
With contributions from group and individual donors, the Foundation bought part of the treatment drugs for the patients and also gave them Four Hundred Ghana cedis each as payment for a session of dialysis treatment.
The group donors are UK based Ghana City Royals, Christ the Living Bread Foundation in Italy, UK based Peligate Church, Germany based Kumasi Club, Bethel Congregation Men Fellowship based in France, Friends of Woolwich, UK, US-based Joy Pot Adom Foundation, Spain based One Love Family, International Charismatic Church in the UK, Beautiful Ladies (Friends of CCF) and UK based St. Paul’s Girls School.
The individual donors are Agnes Twumasi in Ghana, US-based Sister Stella, Holland-based E. Oppong, and Mrs. Favour in the UK.
He also pleaded with the public to also make contributions to assist poor patients.
“It is sad that the kidney disease is not captured under the NHIS. Looking at the high cost of treatment government must include it so that at least poor patients would not lose their lives because they are unable to afford the treatment,” he said.
He added, “I want to appeal to the general public to support this move so that we would regularly visit the Renal Unit to support patients.”
Mr. Kwarteng said the Foundation hopes to extend the gesture to other health facilities to reach out to more patients depending on donor support.
Speaking to CCF, 52-year-old Georgina Appiah said her family neglected her when she fell sick and therefore has been struggling to pay for her treatment.
Another patient, Kenneth told CCF that he had sold items in his room to undergo treatment. “I am a security man and my monthly income is Five Hundred and Twenty-Five Ghana cedis. A session of dialysis the dialysis treatment cost Three Hundred and Twenty Five Ghana cedis so I have to sell the items if not I will die soon,” he said.
The patients thanked CCF and the donors for the assistance. “God bless you and make all you do proper,” they said in a chorus.
The Health Check Series
Crime Check Foundation (CCF) has paid the medical bills of many struggling patients including those who undergo surgery.
By Rudolph Nandi
Email: rudnankp4@gmail.com
