First Sky Limited, a leading construction firm which is behind the initiative, has also defrayed the accumulated debt of GH¢656,000 owed by some 340 patients at the Renal Unit of the hospital this year.

Funding for the initiative accrued from 30 per cent of the company’s annual savings for 2016 that was designated to be used for humanitarian and relief services for the poor and needy.

The company presented a cheque for GH¢2 million and a Toyota pick-up to the management of the hospital at a ceremony at Korle Bu yesterday.  

Plight of patients

In April this year, the management of the Renal Unit served notice of an increase in renal dialysis services from GH¢190 to GH¢260 per session, indicating that patients would have to pay an extra GH¢70.

The notice, dated April 18, 2016, indicated that the increment was due to the increase in the prices of consumables from Germany for the dialysis treatment.

Most patients complained about the increase, which took effect from May 1, 2016, saying that it had led to irregular access to the service, leading to the death of some poor patients.

Situation

Records given by the Head of the Renal Unit at Korle Bu, Dr Vincent Boima, indicated that only 10 per cent of patients who required renal dialysis could afford the cost.

“We see close to 600 new patients annually at the out-patients department (OPD). Dialysis costs GH¢270 per session and each patient requires three dialysis a week to meet what is compatible with life. This means that they have to pay GH¢780 per week for the rest of their lives,” he stated.

According to him, “only 10 per cent are able to afford this, while 60 per cent do it twice a week because of affordability. Another 20 per cent can afford it only once a week, and for some, they cannot afford and come rarely. That’s how bad the situation is”.

Dr Boima further indicated that a greater percentage of patients of kidney diseases fell within the economically active class of the country’s population and that it was important for pragmatic steps to be taken to reverse the trend.

“The cost of chronic kidney diseases is beyond the reach of this young population, especially when it gets to the advanced stage and requires dialysis sessions. They form the workforce of the country but are being wiped out due to lack of capacity to deal with it,” he added.

Assurance

The Chairman of First Sky Limited, Mr Eric Seddy Kutortse, assured the public that the company would do a situational assessment of the state of affairs at the Renal Unit on a quarterly basis in order to provide the required funding.

“My wife and I decided to cut short our foreign travels this year to be able to raise money to pay off the debts that had accrued at this unit because of the inability of some patients to pay for dialysis. It was through that means that we were able to defray the debts,” he said.