Management of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) has given assurances that the faulty elevator at the Surgical Department will be fixed within the next two months to improve the delivery of emergency surgeries.

The commitment follows concerns raised by the Neurological Department over the breakdown of one of its two elevators.

During a visit by Parliament’s Health Committee on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, the Chief Executive of the hospital, Dr. Yakubu Seidu Adam, explained that the delay was due to challenges with approvals at the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).

“The procurement has been done. There was some delay with the PPA, but it was finally approved, and we have given it to the vendor. The vendor has also engaged the manufacturer, and we have been assured that within two months, the elevator should be installed and operational. At the moment, only one elevator is working,” Dr. Adam said.

He further appealed to Parliament to expedite the passage of legislation on organ harvesting, stressing that it would significantly reduce the cost of transplants for patients.

“Currently, anyone who needs a kidney transplant must travel to India, America, or the UK, even though we have the expertise here. For cornea transplants, we have to import corneas from America at prices ranging from $3,000 to $4,000. With legislation, we could harvest corneas locally, bringing the cost down to about GHC500 for patients,” he explained.