€38m Urology, Nephrology Centre inaugurated at KBTH

Patients requiring kidney transplantation and other advanced services do not need to travel out of the country for treatment going forward.

This follows the inauguration of the Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra.

Touted as the largest in West Africa, the edifice, which was inaugurated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on October 18, has been designed to offer advanced treatment to persons with genito-urinary conditions as well as chronic and acute kidney failure.

President Akufo-Addo inaugurated the centre at a colourful ceremony held at the KBTH  last Friday.
 

The centre

Among other facilities, the €38-million three-storey facility has a 30-bed dialysis suite for persons with kidney disorders, 70 beds for genito-urinary patients and training centres.

The centre also has sections such as outpatients, diagnostic and treatment, in-patient services, administration, research centre, staff accommodation and a training room.

It was funded by the government as part of the commitment to deliver universal health coverage and improve overall quality health care for all in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Three.

President Akufo-Addo described the centre as major step towards addressing the challenges confronting urology and nephrology services in the country.

"This landmark project represents giant strides in our journey to providing for the critical healthcare needs of people with kidney conditions. It is also a game changer for men above 40 years, like me, and I am happy to see this day," he said.

He added that the completion and inauguration to the centre was a testament of the government's commitment to improving health care for all citizens.

Maintenance culture

The President urged the KBTH to work closely with the contractors of the project to roll out a strict maintenance plan to keep the centre in good shape. "The credit facility used to construct this centre will be repaid by the government, so we must all take interest in how it is managed," he said.

He added that the massive investment in healthcare infrastructure over the past seven years would immensely improve all aspects of health needs of citizens.

For instance, he said the increment in hospital beds and the Agenda 111 hospital projects would propel the country’s quest to achieve universal health care.

Management of centre

The Minister of Health, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, said the facility would be run with a memorandum of understanding from the Ministry of Health to ensure that it was properly maintained to serve its purpose.

Dr Okoe Boye said the continuous running of the facility by the KBTH would be dependent on strict adherence to a high maintenance culture.

He stressed that no patient would be turned away from the centre for the lack of money.

"It is possible to pay for all dialysis sessions in this country, and if you retain us in power, I will convince Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to take care of the cost of all dialysis sessions," he said.

He commended the President for demonstrating leadership and commitment in the provision of healthcare infrastructure across the country.

Game changer

The acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the KBTH, Dr Frank Owusu Sekyere, described the unveiling of the centre as a game changer for patients with kidney conditions.

He said with the inauguration of the centre, there would be no need to travel out of the country for kidney transplants and other essential services. "This facility will be the cornerstone for kidney transplantation in Ghana and ensure that more patients are catered for," he said.

Again, he said the centre would be key to the training of urologists and nephrologists for specialised healthcare services.
 

Background

The Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence at KBTH started as a public-private partnership (PPP) initiative by VAMED Engineering GmbH in 2011. The initial PPP financing module did not materialise, for which reason the government resorted to a new funding arrangement to construct it.

The government, through the Ministry of Finance, secured a loan facility from Raifisen Bank International AG Limited of Austria for the construction of the Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence.

The Ministry of Health subsequently signed a contract with VAMED Engineering GmbH for the execution of the project over a period of 30 calendar months. The contract followed the design, build and equip model.

The project scope included two-storey Urology and Nephrology Centre, 30-suite dialysis station for patients with kidney disorders, 70 beds for genito-urinary patients, outpatients department, diagnostic and treatment services, in-patient services, public amenities and staff facilities as well as medical and non-medical support services.