GACL donates 2 dialysis machines, chairs to KBTH

The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has donated two dialysis machines and two treatment chairs to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) to address critical equipment shortages in the premier hospital’s dialysis treatment unit. 

In addition to the equipment, GACL will cover one month of dialysis treatment costs for 50 patients at the hospital, a gesture aimed at easing the financial burden on patients.

The equipment and patient treatment cost around $112,000, approximately GH¢2 million.

The group also further donated GH¢200,000 to the Cardiothoracic Department of the hospital.

The Managing Director (MD) of GACL, Yvonne Opare, stated that the donation was part of the company's corporate social responsibility.

“Ghana Airports Company Limited took it up as our corporate social responsibility to supply this equipment to these departments at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital,” Madam Opare stated.

She then indicated that the initiative stemmed from media reports about challenges the hospital faced due to a shortfall in dialysis equipment.

"It is our hope that this initiative will go a long way to address some of the challenges in dialysis treatment," she added.

She then reaffirmed the company's dedication to helping vulnerable patients receive the care they needed without the stress of financial strain.

Gratitude 

The acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KBTH, Dr Frank Owusu-Sekyere, acknowledged the gesture as a crucial intervention for the hospital’s dialysis services.

He expressed gratitude to GACL for the intervention and encouraged other corporate organisations to follow suit.

“Health is a shared responsibility,” he stated, adding, “We cannot do it alone, especially when it comes to Korle Bu.”

Dr Owusu-Sekyere also noted that while Korle Bu remained Ghana’s foremost treatment centre, many patients could not pay for certain life-saving services, resulting in financial strain on the facility. 

He also highlighted the need for a reverse osmosis (RO) water purification system, which was essential for operating dialysis machines in intensive care units.

Dr Owusu-Sekyere mentioned that each RO system would cost around 200,000 Ghana Cedis, and he appealed to GACL and other corporate bodies for additional support.

With over 300 dialysis patients relying on approximately 20 machines, of which many are often non-functional due to wear, the hospital staff had to work round the clock to meet patient needs.

The intense use had led to frequent machine breakdowns, further straining limited resources.

“If we have enough machines, that means we can dialyse and probably by 5 p.m. we close for the machines to rest and increase the lifespan of the machine over time,” Dr Owusu-Sekyere explained.

Both the GACL and KBTH hope that more donations will be made to improve access to critical healthcare services at the hospital.