The government of Ghana is paying an average of GH¢2.6 million cedis for a bed and equipment at the new dialysis centre under construction at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, and questions are being asked about value for money.
The government of Ghana is paying 38 million Euro ($42,560,000) for the 101-bed facility, and questions are being asked whether Ghana is not paying far too much money for the facility.
Thirty-one (31) of the beds will serve as dialysis stations for persons with kidney disorders, and seventy (70) beds for genito-urinary patients, that is people who need to be fitted with catheters and such.
On Tuesday, 11th August 2020, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, cut the sod for the construction and equipping of the €38 million Urology and Nephrology ‘Centre of Excellence’ at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
At the commissioning, President Akufo-Addo stated that the project is being funded by Raiffessen Bank International AG Ltd of Austria, with OeKB Group, also from Austria, providing insurance cover of €4,666,950.
A breakdown of the figures provided for the day, however, reveals that after construction and full costing, each of the 101 spaces available at the facility would cost Ghana an astronomical GH¢2.6 million (two million, and six hundred thousand Ghana cedis) on the average, using an exchange rate of GH¢6.92 to the Euro.
A Quantities Analyst who studied the figures on behalf of the Daily Searchlight stated tha the amount of money being spent should be able to put up at least five additional such facilities to the one being procured with the money.
“We need to pose serious value for money questions about this project,” he said.
He said that it is necessary that the full construction details of the project be made public.
“Ghanaians should be made aware of the full cost of the basic two-storey structure, as well as the particularization of the equipment, because the amount of money seemed to be a bit overpriced,” he said.
He said that for instance, if the money was going to be used for the basic construction alone, the building should be bigger than two football fields with more to spare.
He stated that again, the most costly dialysis machine should not cost more than $13,000.00 (thirteen thousand dollars) apiece.
“When you do the basic mathematics, each set-up at that centre would cost more than $421,386.00 (four hundred and twenty-one, three hundred and eight six dollars). We should be made aware as to how that final breakdown was arrived at.”
“Which machines and equipment are being installed there, to justify the cost?” he asked.
Inquiries that we made to officials at Korle Bu as to how many metres square that the facility is proposed to cover, remained unanswered as at press time.
Cutting the sod for the construction of the €38 million Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence, on Tuesday, 11th August 2020 at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, President Akufo-Addo stated that the project is being funded by Raiffessen Bank International AG Ltd of Austria, with OeKB Group, also from Austria, providing insurance cover of €4,666,950.
Once completed, it will offer advanced treatment for persons with genito-urinary conditions, chronic and acute kidney failures, as well as nephrology services such as kidney transplants.
“The two (2) storey Urology and Nephrology Centre will have a thirty-one (31) suite dialysis stations for persons with kidney disorders, and seventy (70) beds for genito-urinary patients. The Centre will also provide out-patient services, and serve as a resource base to conduct research into urology and nephrology cases,” he said.
The President was confident that the construction of these facilities at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital will put Korle Bu “in a strong position to give meaning to medical tourism services to neighbouring countries, thereby increasing its revenue base to expand services”.
Source: Thedailysearchlight.com
