The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) has announced that its dialysis center will resume full operations next week, following the delivery of a significant quantity of essential consumables currently being processed for clearance at Tema Port.
In a statement, KBTH management expressed gratitude to the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Ghana Supply Company for their support in expediting the clearance process on an emergency basis, ensuring the hospital can continue to provide high-quality care to its patients.
This development comes after the renal unit was abruptly closed nearly two weeks ago, with no official explanation provided at the time. The closure led to tragic consequences, with the President of the Kidney Patients Association, Baffour Ahenkorah, confirming that three patients had died due to the unit’s inactivity.
The Health Committee of Parliament has since strongly condemned the unexpected shutdown of the Renal Unit at KBTH.
Addressing the situation, the hospital’s management stated, “we anticipate that the outpatient section of our Dialysis Centre will return to full operations early next week. While we had initially hoped to have these supplies cleared from the port two weeks ago, procedural lapses and documentation on the part of the shipping line, unfortunately, caused a delay in the clearance.”
During the closure, KBTH temporarily relocated some dialysis operations to the National Cardiothoracic Centre within the hospital to minimize disruption and inconvenience for patients. The management assured the public that they are working diligently to resolve the clearance process over the weekend, with normal services expected to resume promptly.
KBTH management also extended an apology to patients and clients for the inconvenience caused by the closure, thanking them for their patience and understanding during this challenging period.
To prevent future shortages and improve service delivery, Health Minister Hon. Dr. Bernard Okoe Roye has procured 30 additional dialysis machines along with a year’s supply of consumables for Korle Bu. The hospital noted that the specifications of these new machines will allow for the procurement of essential consumables from the open market at competitive prices, enhancing both efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
