The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, has directed the management of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to reopen the renal dialysis unit for outpatient services as soon as possible.
Ministry of Health Public Relations Officer Isaac Baah Ofei confirmed the directive in an interview on Accra-based Citi TV.
“The Minister has directed the Chief Executive Officer of Korle-Bu to, as a matter of urgency, see to the opening of the center, and so he directed as well that while it is opened, Korle-Bu should issue a statement for the general public to know exactly what is going on and when they can get access to the place,” he said.
The unit was shut down in May 2023 for outpatient services on the grounds of the exorbitant cost of dialysis consumables and the outstanding GH₵4 million in cedis debt owed.
As a result of the closing of the said unit, a number of patients have met their untimely death because of their inability to afford dialysis treatment at private dialysis centers, which is more expensive than the treatment offered at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
According to Mr. Offei Baah, the hospital has found pragmatic measures to address the issues raised concerning the high cost of dialysis, stating that the debt will be cleared soon.
The House of Parliament has, however, summoned the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, to appear before it on Thursday, November 9, 2023, to brief the house on why the closure of the renal unit and the punitive steps taken by the government to address the predicaments led to its closure and the surge in cases of kidney-related diseases.
By Lawrence Odoom
