Korle-Bu renal unit opens today after minister's directive

The renal unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital opens today, Monday, 6 November 2023.

It follows a directive to that effect by Minister of Health Kwaku Agyemang-Manu to the management of the hospital.

The unit had been closed to outpatient services since May 2023 due to the purported high cost of dialysis consumables, as cited by hospital management.

Mr. Isaac Baah Ofei, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Health, confirmed the minister's directive and emphasised the urgency of reopening the unit.

He said the minister instructed the Chief Executive Officer of Korle-Bu to oversee the immediate reopening and urged the hospital to issue a public statement detailing the situation and when access to the services would resume.

The Renal Dialysis Unit had a partial reopening on September 27, with an announcement of an increased cost of dialysis treatment per session from GH¢380 to GHS¢765.42.

This generated a public uproar forcing the hospital to issue an official statement to reverse the price hike to the status quo.

Subsequently, several stakeholders urged the government to cover dialysis treatment under the National Health Insurance Scheme.