Korle Bu attributes a 100% increase in dialysis costs on high taxes and the withdrawal of subsidies
The recent rise in the price of dialysis has been attributed by the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to the high tax burden.
For patients with renal diseases, the hospital hiked the cost of dialysis by more than 100% every session.
Mustapha Salifu, the hospital’s public relations officer, claims that the decision to raise treatment costs was made by the institution as a result of the high cost of taxes.
Mr. Salifu said in an interview with JoyNews that the government had exempted the institution from paying some import taxes and charges.
The hospital’s facilities at the unit, however, are no longer eligible for such perks 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 emphasized the expensive nature of the supplies needed to administer the therapy and said that if the dialysis unit decided to continue operating without raising the cost, it would eventually have to shut down.
Furthermore, Mr. Salifu made it clear that the reason for the rise in the cost of the treatment is not to create a profit but rather to help and enable the hospital to give its patients high-quality services.
Other local hospitals may experience an increase as well, citing an increase in the cost of consumables.
Despite the high cost of consumables and other components, JoyNews inquiries have shown that the administration of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital is not in a rush to raise the cost of dialysis treatment.
Reports state that management has not yet formally discussed or planned to raise the cost of the therapy.
The expense of dialysis treatment was brought up at the just concluded #OccupyJulorbiHouse protest, when one irate protester bemoaned the death of a patient due to their inability to pay for the therapy.
Some others expressed concern after hearing about the sudden hike since they said they already found it difficult to pay the prior price.
Some patients worry that the increased expense may make things worse.
