GH¢380 to GH¢765: Social media users react to increase in cost of dialysis at Korle Bu

Some Ghanaians on social media have been left bewildered by reports of an increase in the cost of dialysis treatment for patients with non-functioning kidneys in the nation’s premier hospital, the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH).

They were reacting to a supposed notification by the management of the hospital that the cost of dialysis had been increased from GH¢380 to over GH¢765.

A notice by the head of unit reads “Cost of Dialysis has been increased from GH¢380 to over GH¢765.42”.

One Ghanaian on X (formerly known as Twitter) asked how people who need dialysis treatment are going to survive.

“My Goodness! How are people going to survive?... And this is KBTH where it is cheapest o ei,” he wrote.

Another Ghanaian on Facebook urged Ghanaians to protect their kidneys; saying, “I want to bring this to your attention. This is KBTH, the cheapest you can get in GH, Dialysis 765.42 cedis per session Guard your health, Appreciate your functional kidneys”.

“This is KBTH, the cheapest you can get in Ghana Dialysis 765.42 cedis per session Guard your health, appreciate your functional kidneys,” another Facebook user wrote.

Kwabena, an X user noted the GH¢765.42 is for only one session and that patients normally need two to three sessions every week.

“For proper context, you require 2-3 sessions weekly, not mentioning other expenses like your routine drugs, labs, transport to the centre, regular admissions and even your own personal living expenses! Terrible.

“I haven’t even mentioned the cost of the femoral/neckline etc. Wow!” he wrote.

View the reaction of Ghanaians below:

For proper context, you require 2-3 sessions weekly, not mentioning other expenses like your routine drugs, labs, transport to the center, regular admissions and even your own personal living expenses! Terrible.
I haven’t even mentioned the cost of the femoral/neckline etc. wow!

— Kwabena (@manny_tk) September 25, 2023

Dialysis machines!!!, is it something we can’t afford as a country?, people are referred to other regions for dialysis just because in a whole region there isn’t one. If this is the situation at KBTH, then you can just imagine #OccupyJulorbiHouse pic.twitter.com/fNZJM9PGrC

— ????????❀???????????????? ✨ (@mikai_la) September 25, 2023