According to the CEO of Korle-Bu, 5 million Ghanaians have kidney diseases.
Dr. Opoku Ware Ampomah, the chief executive officer of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, expressed concern about the dramatic increase in kidney-related disorders after learning that 17% of Ghanaians suffer from kidney problems.
Dr. Ampomah revealed that their registry showed there are about 700 kidney patients who need regular dialysis.
He stressed the essential importance of early diagnosis and lifestyle changes during a Citi TV interview yesterday, claiming that these actions can greatly increase kidney patients’ lifespans. Korle-Bu
The most recent registry revealed that there were about 700 people nationwide who needed regular renal dialysis. An estimated 17% of people have renal issues. This amount is significant. Ghana’s average is nearly 17%, compared to the average of 15% for the entire African continent. Therefore, 5 million people in our population are struggling with kidney problems in some way. However, the majority of these may be managed by lifestyle changes if diagnosed early. Screening is essential because early diagnosis is important, he emphasized.
According to Dr. Ampomah, kidneys were built with extra capacity by nature, enabling people to donate a kidney while still being in good health. One kidney, or perhaps only a piece of it, is all that is necessary for a person to be healthy. If you are healthy, half of one kidney will suffice to suit your demands, he said.
Regarding the change in prices, he explained that it was the result of inflation and cedi currency changes that had driven up the price of consumables and forced the hospital to operate at a loss.
The costs at this time were established a few years ago, with GH380 being the most cost-effective choice in comparison to other facilities. The value of this has decreased as a result of inflation and currency rate changes; thus, we are not recouping our costs for delivering the service. We had to adjust the prices as a result in order to break even. The CEO of Korle-Bu explained, “This service is not for profit; it is only to cover our costs and maintain it. Korle-Bu
He criticized departmental staff for prematurely releasing the new fees without proper authorization in response to the failure to submit the proposal to Parliament for approval, saying, “Unfortunately, this time, the departmental level prematurely released the figures to the public without my knowledge. It was unexpected. Still at GH 380, please.
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