Korle-Bu Renal Unit closure leaves patients stranded for over a week

The Renal Unit at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital has remained closed for over a week, leaving many patients who depend on life-sustaining dialysis treatments in a state of distress and uncertainty.

Frustrated patients have voiced concerns over the silence from hospital authorities, noting that no official explanation has been provided for the sudden shutdown. The lack of communication has heightened fears about the potential health risks associated with delayed or missed treatments.

Kojo Baffour Ahenkora, spokesperson for the Renal Patients Association, confirmed the continued closure and lamented the toll on patients. According to him, members are experiencing increased anxiety, deteriorating health, and mounting complications due to the disruption of their treatment 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,” he said.

In response to growing pressure, the Public Relations Officer of the hospital is currently in discussions with hospital management to address the issue and respond to the mounting concerns from patients and their families.