The Vice President of Ghana and the flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has announced his intention to include dialysis treatment under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) if he is elected as president. Dr. Bawumia made this pledge during a tour in the Upper East Region, where he engaged with the clergy and other groups to share his vision and policies.

Dr. Bawumia emphasized the urgent need to address the rising rate of kidney-related issues among Ghanaians, which has necessitated the inclusion of dialysis treatment under the NHIS. He assured that funds would be allocated to support this initiative.

"We are seeing a lot of kidney problems affecting many of our citizens across the country," Dr. Bawumia stated. "And so what we are going to do is to bring dialysis treatment under the NHIS."

He highlighted that producing treatment for kidney problems locally could significantly reduce costs. Additionally, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) plans to disburse 2 million cedis in the coming weeks to support dialysis treatment, with more funds to be allocated as the program expands.

Dr. Bawumia also discussed his contributions to the health sector, including the introduction of drones for medical deliveries, which have greatly enhanced healthcare accessibility, particularly in rural areas.

We have implemented Zipline medical drones to assist in healthcare delivery, especially in rural areas," he said, recounting a personal tragedy that inspired this initiative. His father passed away due to a lack of available blood at a crucial moment, an incident that motivated Dr. Bawumia to introduce the drone technology to Ghana.

Currently, drones deliver medicines to about 2,800 hospitals nationwide, and Ghana boasts the largest medical drone delivery service in the world, according to Dr. Bawumia.

He also mentioned that Hydroxyurea treatment for sickle cell patients and treatment for childhood cancers are now covered under the NHIS, alleviating financial burdens for these patients.

Looking ahead, Dr. Bawumia plans to digitize medical care, replacing traditional patient folders with digital records accessible via identification cards. This system aims to streamline the patient experience and reduce waiting times.

Additionally, the introduction of an E-Pharmacy system will soon provide an online platform for purchasing FDA-approved medications. This system will allow patients to upload prescriptions and find nearby pharmacies with the required medicines, along with pricing information. The Upper East Region currently has about 24 pharmacies registered on the platform.

Dr. Bawumia highlighted his track record of implementing 33 policies during his tenure as vice president. He believes that, if elected president in December 2024, he will be able to achieve even more for the country.

Source by www.ghanaweb.com