Upper East Regional Minister calls for haemodialysis centre

Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister, has intensified advocacy for the establishment of a haemodialysis centre in the region to help in the treatment of people with kidney-related diseases

The Regional Minster, who spoke in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the campaign needed urgent stakeholders' support to have the centre established and equipped as soon as possible.

Mr Yakubu appealed to District Chief Executives and Members of Parliament in the region to contribute towards the worthy course.

“In our region, we are not doing well when it comes to the culture of contributing to things like this, but we are encouraging people to help because the project is for all of us and we do not know who will need that service,” he said.

The Bolgatanga Regional Hospital is the major referral hospital for healthcare services for the 15 Municipal and Districts as well as parts of the North East Region.

Patients from neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso and Togo also access the hospital for various healthcare services, but the hospital constantly relies on the Tamale Teaching Hospital for dialysis services.

Statistics from the Upper East Regional Hospital reveal that 15 out of 30 people who had kidney-related diseases and failures and required dialysis services in 2022 died.

To this effect, Dr Emmanuel Akatibo, a Physician Specialist and Ayamga Ayariga, a Critical Care Nurse, both at the regional hospital began a campaign dubbed, “Haemodialysis centre for the Upper East Regional Hospital” to raise funds for the establishment of the centre to save the worrying trend of young people losing their lives due to kidney related issues.

Stakeholders, including Civil Society Organisations, opinion leaders, media and residents of the region have joined in the campaign to establish a haemodialysis centre in the region.