Tanzania to review kidney dialysis cost

The government of Tanzania has admitted that medical bills for kidney dialysis are exorbitant so it is conducting a review to reduce those charges.

The pledge was made yesterday in Parliament by Health deputy minister Godwin Mollel, who said currently the medical bills for dialysis stand at Sh900,000, which is a huge amount for low-income earners.

He made the statement when responding to a supplementary question by Special Seats MP (CCM) Mariam Kisangi, who had asked for the reduction of the bills and that patients using packaged health insurance be included in the treatment.

In the principal question, Ms Kisangi had wanted to know what government plan was in helping kidney patients to get kidney dialysis treatment at affordable cost.

Responding, the deputy minister said the government strategy in reducing the cost was to purchase medical devices and reagents directly from manufacturers.

He also said once the bill for Health Insurance law for all is finalised, it would be a permanent solution.

“However, the country’s Health Policy directs that no Tanzanian should die for lacking money for treatment. So, the government has been forgiving those who are financially incapable and those meeting the criteria,” said Dr Mollel.

In a plan to reduce medical bills, he said the government was considering even lowering the rate to Sh50,000 per patient, wondering as to why the charges should be the same for public and private hospitals while they depend on everything from buildings to equipment.