Parliament should be deeply concerned about the closure of the renal dept at KBTH - Akandoh

The Ranking Member on Health and Member of Parliament for Juaboso, Kwabena Mintah
Akandoh has expressed concern about the long closure of the Renal Department of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Making a statement on the issue in the House, he said, “Parliament as a whole
should be deeply concerned about the persistent closure of the Renal Unit Outpatient Department of the hospital."

“The situation”, he said, “has far-reaching implications for the well-being of dialysis patients in Ghana and raises serious questions about the commitment of the government to transparency and accountability in our healthcare institutions”.

Akandoh said it is unacceptable that the department has been closed down over reports of its indebtedness of about GHC4 million to suppliers of dialysis consumables, adding that “GHC4 million should not be the reason for which many Ghanaian men, women, and children are denied critical dialysis treatment”.

“Whatever financial bottlenecks are warranting the continuous closure of the dialysis centre should not be countenanced by the government, neither this House”, he said.

Akandoh said despite an assurance given by the Minister for Health to Minority MPs at a meeting on October 13, 2023, that the Renal Department was going to be opened soon, the closure continues.

He said it is distressing to note from the Renal Patients Association that more than 19 outpatients have died since the closure of the Renal Department at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in May.

He further said the Renal Unit Outpatient Department must be promptly re-opened and the approved GHC380 fee charged, to be re-instated.

He therefore urged Parliament to cause the Minister for Health to appear before the House and clarify the issues surrounding the closure of the Korle Bu Renal Outpatients Department as well as outline measures to re-open it.