Reopen Korle Bu Renal Unit to outpatients - Akandoh

The Ranking Member on the Health Committee of Parliament, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has expressed worry about the continued closure of the Renal Unit at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) to outpatients.

Speaking to the media after the Parliamentary Health Committee inspected the Renal Unit of KBTH on Monday (Oct 16, 2023) for firsthand information on the happenings at the place, Mr Akandoh said there was the need to ensure that the renal unit was reopened to outpatients within the next 24-hours.

He said there should not be a delay in reopening the unit because outpatients need the services to be able to live.

“We must not delay because people need these services day in and day out…it is unthinkable and insensitive of the highest order. We must be clear that within the next 24 hours, the renal unit of Korle-Bu will be reopened to outpatients,” Mr Akandoh said.

The Renal Unit at KBTH has been closed to outpatients since May 2023 and according to the Renal Patients Association, the shutdown has been causing a lot of financial inconveniences to them.

According to the association a total of 14 outpatients have died since May 2023 because they could not raise the needed funding for dialysis at private facilities.

Mr Akandoh called on the government to speedily implement the necessary subsidies for dialysis treatment and criticised the delay in reopening the facility as insensitive.

He said, “With regard to the dialysis issue at Korle-Bu, we believe that the government is being wicked, and the government is being insensitive.”

“For the past four to five months the renal unit has not been opened to the OPD and we think that as a matter of urgency, whatever it takes, wherever we can get the resources, we have Covid levies, we have NHIL and this is a national emergency and government must put measures in place”, he added.

Read also: 14 renal patients dead in four months due to lack of funds for dialysis - Association [VIDEO]