Uncertainty Grips Dialysis Patients as Korle-Bu Renal Unit Closure Enters Second Week

Accra, Ghana - 06 May, 2025 - Patients reliant on life-sustaining dialysis treatments are facing uncertainty and distress as the Renal Unit at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital remains closed for over a week.

Despite the prolonged shutdown, hospital authorities have yet to provide an official explanation, leaving patients anxious about potential health risks and complications.

Many are forced to seek costly dialysis treatment at private facilities, paying at least GHS 700 per session, according to Kojo Baffour Ahenkora, spokesperson for the Renal Patients Association. 

He noted that disrupted dialysis sessions are causing significant distress, leading to heightened anxiety, declining health, and worsening complications among patients.

Ahenkora emphasized the need for hospital authorities to communicate effectively with patients, providing updates on the situation and expected resolution timeline. 

“Some of my patients are complaining that they cannot sleep, they are having fatigue at night, they cannot eat, and they are vomiting. You can just imagine the complaints that keep coming. It is not good for us, but what can we do?  Either you look for money and go to a private facility, or there, the least you can pay is GHS 700. Korle-Bu is a bit cheaper, and so when something like this happens, they should communicate with us. We are an association. Call us to the table, sit us down, this is the challenge that we have and that we are working on it, so that we will go and prepare ourselves, look for money and take care of ourselves,” he said.

Source: Lead News Online