Management of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital has attributed the over 100% increment in the cost of treating dialysis to high taxes by the government.
The Public Relations Officer of the Hospital, Mustapha Salifu, has said government has withdrawn some tax exemptions hitherto enjoyed by the facility in clearing some equipment used for treating persons with the kidney infections.
He says the increment in the cost of the treatment is as a result of the taxes which have to be borne by the patients due to the removal of the subsidy.
He said the benefits the hospital used to enjoy were removed as of last year.
“Previously some of the variables were actually being taken care of by the state. But now we have had to pay for everything ourselves and all those things are factored into it. We used to clear these items, we used to get to tax exemptions when we were clearing these items. But now you have to pay for the import duty and other taxes that are related to it,” he told Accra-based Joy FM.
According to Mr. Salifu, any attempt to charge the old cost for the treatment would lead to the collapse of the dialysis unit of the hospital. He has also explained that, the cost rise is not to make profit for the facility but to provide quality services to its patients.
Meanwhile, management of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi is yet to discuss an increment in the cost of treatment despite the rise in the prices of consumables and other components.
The increase in the cost of dialysis treatment came to bare after a protestor at the recently held #OccupyJubileeHouse demonstration angrily complained of the lost of life of a patient as a result of an inability to pay for the increment in the treatment cost.
Many dialysis patients are pessimistic about their condition due to the increased cost of treatment leaving them worried.
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