GH¢4m kidney treatment debt settlement timely

 Few days ago, we appealed through our editorial to the government to in­tervene in the payment of a GH¢4million debt owed by the Renal Unit Outpatient Department of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) that has led to the closure of the unit.

Besides the closure, the unit also attempted to increase the fees charged for dialysis treatment which led to public uproar. The hospital, however, backtracked and suspended the hike.

The Member of Par­liament for Juaboso, Kwabena Mintah Akan­doh, early this month drew the attention of the House to the increasing cost of the renal treat­ment in the country and the closure of the unit and urged the House to summon the Minis­ter of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, to an­swer an urgent question on the matter.

Thankfully, the Minister appeared yesterday not only to answer the ques­tion but also as a bearer of good news to the house.

He told the MPs that the Ministry of Finance has approved the dis­bursement of over GH¢4 million to settle the debt of the Korle-Bu Teach­ing Hospital (KBTH) Renal Unit Outpatient Department.

And to avoid future indebtedness of the unit, Mr Agyeman-Manu added that there were considerations to possi­bly include the treatment of renal related ailments in the National Health Insurance Scheme.

According to the min­ister, the consideration would include granting subsidies based on pro­posals received from KBTH as well as the possible review of tariff to ensure sustainability of the service.

Prior to the good news, the unit has also reopened and resumed treatment of patients. These developments are very good news for the 300 patients who seek treatment at the unit daily at the current cost of GH¢380 per session.

The Ghanaian Times is also aware that in view of the rising cost of renal cases and increasing patient numbers, the Sky Group of Companies, a Ghanaian firm, has committed to pay GH¢1 million every quarter to cover the cost of 230 patients.

We applaud the govern­ment, Parliament and the public for the role they played to get the unit to reopen and suspension of the hike as well as the government’s decision to pay off the over GH¢4m debt.

We also commend the government for the long term plan to ensure that the total cost of care and dialysis treatment is brought to the barest minimum for patients across the country.

For us, the icing on the cake in the long term would be the day that, a urology and neurolo­gy centre of excellence would be built in Ghana, to facilitate the provision of kidney transplant ser­vices among others in the country to help reduce the dialysis burden on the nation and minimise the need for Ghanaians to travel abroad for renal treatment.