The Renal Unit at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital has been closed for more than a week, leaving numerous patients reliant on essential dialysis treatments in a state of distress and uncertainty.
Frustrated patients have voiced their concerns regarding the lack of official communication from hospital authorities, noting the absence of any explanation for the abrupt shutdown. This silence has amplified fears about the potential health consequences of delayed or missed life-sustaining treatments.
Kojo Baffour Ahenkora, the spokesperson for the Renal Patients Association, confirmed the ongoing closure and expressed deep concern about the impact on patients. He stated that members are experiencing heightened anxiety, declining health, and increasing medical complications due to the interruption of their regular dialysis schedules.
“Some of my patients are complaining that they cannot sleep, they are having fatigue at night, they cannot eat, and they are vomiting. You can just imagine the complaints that keep coming. It is not good for us, but what can we do? Either you look for money and go to a private facility, or there, the least you can pay is GHS 700. Korle-Bu is a bit cheaper, and so when something like this happens, they should communicate with us. We are an association. Call us to the table, sit us down, this is the challenge that we have and that we are working on it, so that we will go and prepare ourselves, look for money and take care of ourselves,” Mr. Ahenkora lamented.
Amidst growing pressure from affected patients, the Public Relations Officer of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital is reportedly in discussions with the hospital’s management to address the critical situation and provide a response to the escalating concerns from patients and their families. The prolonged closure underscores the vulnerability of patients dependent on specialized medical units and the critical need for timely communication in healthcare emergencies.
