Sources at the Renal Unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital have revealed that, although the facility has partially reopened, it is only treating patients on admission.
The unit was initially closed for maintenance on Thursday, June 13, after 80-year-old kidney patient Victor Sormenah waited over an hour for his dialysis session, only to be informed of an issue at the unit.
According to Sormenah’s wife, hospital authorities cited a shortage of necessary supplies for the treatment.
Although the National Health Insurance Authority has announced free dialysis treatment for patients 18 years and below and those above 60 years, some patients have complained of paying over GH¢400 for treatment at the facility on Friday, June 14.
A woman brought her uncle to the facility for treatment on Friday, however, she was told to pay a fee before her uncle could receive treatment.
“The information is that unless you’re on admission before you can be given free treatment. So yesterday we went to Abofu and paid about GH¢490. But they couldn’t do it, they said there was a problem with the tube. We had to come back here today. So today we came, they corrected the tube and he’s on dialysis now. But we had to pay GH¢491”.
For now, the fate of kidney disease patients in Accra hangs in the balance with no positive word from the hospital as to when the facility will be fully opened.