Source: newsthemegh.com
The renal unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital is finally scheduled to reopen for outpatient services today, providing a glimmer of hope for patients in urgent need of dialysis treatments, after several setbacks and broken promises.
Since May 22, 2023, the facility has been closed, resulting in significant hardship and inconvenience for patients who were forced to seek treatment elsewhere.
Patients and their families were feeling anxious and frustrated because hospital administration had consistently missed its reopening deadlines.
The patients’ situation was made worse when it was decided on Friday, November 3, to reopen the unit on November 6. However, this promise was broken.
Prior to this, Health Minister Kwaku Agyemang-Manu had ordered the unit to be immediately reopened; however, this order was not carried out, leaving patients in a precarious situation.
The spokesperson for the Minority on health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, had voiced his displeasure and chastised the Health Minister for the slow implementation of his order.
He underlined how critical it is to improve finance and management immediately in order to avert future catastrophes of this nature.
In addition, patients experienced an unanticipated strain on Wednesday, September 27, when the unit reopened partially.
The hospital disclosed that the cost of dialysis treatment would significantly increase each session, going from GH¢380 to GH¢765.42, further taxing the already financially strapped patients.
The management gave patients the assurance on Monday night that the unit will reopen on Tuesday, November 7, in spite of these difficulties.
After months of uncertainty and suffering, the Korle-Bu Renal Unit’s doors will finally open today, giving the patients and their families a glimpse of optimism.