The Ghana Airports Company Limited has donated dialysis equipment worth about two million cedis to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) to aid patients' treatment.
The donation includes two dialysis machines, two chairs, and payment for one month of dialysis treatment for 50 patients.
Under its staff contributions initiative, the company also donated GH¢200,000 to the National Cardiothoracic Center to assist needy patients undergoing heart surgeries.
Mrs. Yvonne Opare, the Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company Limited, speaking at the event, said this formed part of the company's corporate social responsibility to assist the dialysis department in solving some of the challenges they faced.
She said the same gesture would be replicated at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to offer relief support to patients.
Dr. Frank Owusu Sekyere, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of KBTH, receiving the equipment, expressed appreciation to the company for the support, adding that this showed how they valued the lives of patients.
He said health was a shared responsibility, and given the hospital's activities, there were always patients who needed support, and as such, the gesture was appreciated.
Dr. Sekyere assured that the hospital would put the equipment to good use for the benefit of patients and appealed to other corporate organizations to emulate the gesture.
He said the hospital, as part of its 100th anniversary, had outlined several projects and called for institutional support in this regard.
Dr. Vincent Boima, Kidney Disease Specialist at KBTH, said that due to the inadequate dialysis machines at the hospital, they were overwhelmed by the over 300 patients, adding that this would reduce their frustration, enable patients to have quality treatment, stay healthy, and survive for the long term.
He said the machines were new and appealed to the company to again assist with the required accessories to make them functional.
Professor Martin Tamatey, Heart Surgeon and Acting Director of the National Cardiothoracic Center, expressed gratitude to the company for making the cash donation to aid surgeries at the Center.
He said the average cost for heart surgery was about eight thousand dollars; hence, the donation was good news to patients who needed to undergo heart surgery urgently.
Prof. Tamatey advised the public, especially those with diabetes, hypertension, those above 40 years, and those overweight, to be mindful of their lifestyle to prevent acquired heart diseases in the future.