Korle Bu Renal unit accumulating increased debt

This financial burden has accrued due to the continued application of outdated fees for dialysis treatment.

In response to the escalating costs of dialysis consumables, the renal unit at KBTH ceased outpatient services in May 2023. This decision led patients to seek dialysis treatments elsewhere, primarily resorting to private hospitals or facilities.

Speaking on JoyTV, Dr. Owusu Sekyere, the Director of Medical Affairs at KBTH, highlighted that the existing debt has further increased as renal patients contribute only half of the total dialysis treatment cost with no alternative means to cover the remaining expenses, the facility is grappling with financial challenges.

The approval of revised fees is seen as crucial to alleviate the financial strain on the renal unit and ensure continued access to essential dialysis services for patients.

“We are also a preview to the fact that the cost of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital performing one dialysis is well over GH₵720 cedis, and patients are paying GH₵380, so there is a difference of about GH₵380 or GH₵400 that needs to be looked at.

“I think that is what led to the shutdown initially then we got consignment and there was a huge discussion about it. There was a bill of GH₵4 million cedis that have been accumulated because of the exchange rate and then other things that happened which have been cleared but the fact remains that we still haven’t tackled the difference in the cost.

“Since we opened, giving dialysis at that rate till now, I don’t think it is strange to know that we have accumulated another GH₵2 million bill.”

On September 27, a partial reopening of the unit was initiated, accompanied by an announcement of an escalation in dialysis treatment costs per session from GH¢380 to GHS¢765.42.

Following a public outcry, the price hike was swiftly rescinded, and the unit remained closed to outpatients.

The renal unit at the hospital resumed operations for patients in November 2023, facilitated by the government's clearance of its GH¢4 million debt. However, despite the reopening, the unit's management reveals that they are still accumulating significant debt, posing potential challenges to the sustainability of their dialysis services in the long run.