The Minister of Health Kwaku Agyeman-Manu has directed the reopening of the Renal Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
This was revealed by the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Health, Isaac Baah Ofei in an interview with TV3 on Thursday, November 3.
“The Minister has directed the Chief Executive Officer of Korle-Bu to as a matter of urgency, see to the opening of the centre and so he directed as well that while it is opened,” Mr Offei said.
This came at a time Parliament summoned Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu over the closure.
Juaboso Member of Parliament Kwabena Mintah Aaondoh had raised concerns against the closure in Parliament on Thursday, November 3.
“The tragic loss of life emphasizes the urgency of the matter and the necessity for immediate intervention,” he said.
In his pronouncement on this matter, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Andrew Amoako Asiamah who was steering affairs in Parliament said “The Minister for Health is to appear before us on Thursday, November 9, to come and brief us on the closure of the Renal Unit outpatient department and the upsurge of kidney-related problems in Ghana.
“He should also come and tell us if the NHIS issue can also be captured in relation to kidney treatment.”
Recently, the Renal Patients Association revealed that a total of 14 outpatients of the renal unit died after it was closed to them in May 2023.
A spokesperson for the Association, Michael Asante, told journalists at a press conference in Accra last week that the inability of the patients to afford dialysis treatment at private health centres caused the deaths.
“As we speak, the renal unit has been closed since 22 May 2023 up to date to outpatients,” Asante said. “Patients have gone through turbulent times as we struggle to finance our dialysis treatment at private dialysis centers across the centres.
“Unfortunately, during this shutdown period, we have lost about 14 of our friends…This has left the rest of us living in constant fear for our tomorrow. This is because we do not know who amongst us will be next to lose their lives needlessly.”