Dialysis patients need $800/month to stay alive – Seidu Agongo reveals, as he redeems ₵500k pledge to Ghana Medical Trust Fund

Ghanaian dialysis patients are facing a serious financial burden. Treatment costs average around $800 per month. Many cannot afford this amount in a country with unmet basic needs, businessman Seidu Agongo said.

He spoke during a donation ceremony at the Ministry of Health in Accra. There, he fulfilled a GHS500,000 (about $42,000) pledge to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund. Mr. Agongo noted that this heavy financial burden motivated his donation.

Dialysis is essential for patients with kidney failure. In Ghana, it costs about GHS700 per session. Most patients need three sessions each week, totaling around GHS8,400 monthly.

“In a developing country where food is scarce, this is a significant strain,” Mr. Agongo observed. He believes this program resonates with the grassroots and deserves support.

Mr. Agongo is also the founder and CEO of Alive Industries and runs a dialysis center. He emphasized the link between public health and economic productivity. “My business flourishes only in a healthy environment,” he stated.

He made the donation with his management team and described the Medical Trust Fund as vital for Ghanaians. The fund was launched under former President John Dramani Mahama to help citizens who cannot afford critical medical services like dialysis.

Mr. Agongo thanked the Minister of Health and acknowledged the former president’s role in starting the program. “This is not for his own sake but for all citizens of Ghana,” he said.

The Minister of Health praised Alive Industries for its support at the event. “We are grateful; this shows true national solidarity,” he remarked.

The government encourages more individuals and institutions to support the fund as more patients need long-term dialysis care.