Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister of Health, has revealed that the government will extend its subsidy of dialysis to private health facilities.
According to the Health Minister, the development comes after President John Mahama directed that the government’s dialysis subsidy be extended to private health facilities.
Speaking at the inauguration of a 13-member governing board for the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as “Mahama Cares”, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh stated, “The current arrangement for payment of dialysis is that if you go to public health facilities, we have a maximum amount of money we pay per session—that’s around 499, something about 500 Ghana cedis.
What we have realised is that there are people who also go to private facilities, and so, it’s a necessity; the President has directed us to give what is paid to the public facilities,” he explained.
He further detailed, “So, for example, if you go to private facility A and they are charging you 1,000 Ghana cedis, the government will pay the 500 Ghana cedis, and you top up, to be fair to everybody. So, the CEO for the National Health Insurance has been directed accordingly to take up that challenge”.
“And finally, to also add my voice to the appeal the chairman made to corporate Ghana. We cannot do it all alone. It is the partnership between the government and corporate Ghana that will take us far. There are other corporate bodies who have come on board, like Telecel Group of Companies, and there are some banks as well,” he said.
In related health news, the Minister of Health has announced that unpaid junior doctors will be migrated to the public payroll.
He made this announcement, revealing that the government had secured clearance and commenced the migration of hundreds of unpaid junior doctors.
According to the Health Minister, the Junior doctors started their work without clearance.
Speaking to the media in Accra on Monday, October 13, Mr Akandoh stated, “You recently heard some junior doctors threatening to go on strike. They had started work without clearance, without salaries, without pay”.
“Again, we collaborated with the Ministry of Finance, and as I speak to you now, we have succeeded in getting them clearance, and they are being migrated onto the payroll”, he added.
Also, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh further announced that the cabinet has given the green light for the payment of 13,500 unpaid nurses, midwives.
The Health Minister further announced that the government will start paying all nurses and midwives owed salary arrears from November.
According to him, the Cabinet has approved that the finance minister immediately pay 13,500 nurses and midwives starting from November.
Mr Akandoh detailed, “As I speak to you now, about 6,500, that will add up to the 7,000 already being paid, making 13,500; that’s a lot, that’s over 6,000. The Cabinet has approved that with immediate effect. Starting from November, the Minister for Finance must pay them. And I have in my hand the letter to that effect”
“And so these were the difficulties. I empathise with anybody who has had to go through this painful situation. And it is important for Ghanaians to be taken care of,” he added.
He further revealed that he has secured financial clearance for the payment of some 17,909 nurses, midwives, and allied health interns who started their national service in early 2024.
Speaking to the media in Accra on Monday, October 13, Mr Akandoh detailed, “Financial clearance secured for payment of the 17,909 nurses, midwives, and allied health interns who started their national service in early 2024. Financial clearance secured for 13,500 recruited and posted late last year [2024], with their financial clearance expiring by 31st December 2024”.
“The Ministry is putting in place measures as part of a broader agenda to strengthen Ghana’s health system and ensure the welfare of its workforce,” he stated.