Legislators Summon Health Minister Over Renal Facility Closure In Ghana

Ghana’s Legislature has summoned the country’s Health minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu over the closure of the Renal Unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

The minister is expected to appear before the lawmakers on Thursday, November 9, 2023 to explain to them reasons for the closure of the Renal facility at Korle Bu, Ghana’s largest teaching hospital in the capital, Accra.

Some nineteen patients are reported dead as a result of the closure of the facility according to the renal patients association.

Mr Agyeman Manu is also expected to update the legislators on measures taken by the government to address the challenges that led to the closure of the facility and the increasing rate of kidney-related diseases in the country.

The ministers summon follows a statement made by the Ranking Member on the Health committee and Member of Parliament for Juaboso, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh.

“The reopening of the outpatient department cannot continue to be in abeyance, and even more distressing is the statement from the Renal Patients Association that since the closure of the outpatient department of the renal unit in May, more than 19 of its members have died,” Akandoh said.

Mr Akandoh urged government to consider absorbing dialysis treatment under the national health insurance scheme to help lift financial burden on citizens suffering from the condition.

All members who contributed to the statement from both sides of the house supported the urgent need for the health minister to apprise lawmakers on the situation.

Major Chief Whip Frank Annoh Dompreh said the call is a life saving one and emphasised the urgency for the sector Minister to be programmed to appear before Parliament.
Mr Annoh Dompreh said Parliament is complicit in the matter as the oversight institution through its committee of health which should have acted long ago.

The Nsawam Adoagyiri lawmaker urged the need for the house to exercise some level of proactiveness subsequently.

On his part, Deputy Minority leader, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah urged the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to intensify its regulatory activities especially on the herbal medicine use which according to him has exacerbated renal related diseases in the country.

The Member for Adentan, Mohammed Adamu Ramadan expressed worry about the closure of the facility as a result of debts.

He advocate tax waivers on all consumables for dialysis products and the de-capping of the National Health Insurance Scheme to make money available for the treatment of dialysis.

Mr Ramadan also urged the need for the public to take serious look at their lifestyles to prevent renal related diseases.

On his part, the Member for Anyaa-Sowutuom, Dr Dickson Adomako Kissi emphasis the need for the country to pay attention towards preventive measures.

According to him, the advertisement of unauthorise medicines especially herbal products and the prescription of same by unqualified individuals through the media are problematic.

He appealed to the media to assist in educating the public to prevent the occurrence and avoid the causative factors.

Member for Keta, Kwame Gakpey expressed deep worry about the closure of the unit at the nations premier health facility and described the closure as amounting to killing the Ghanaian citizenry.

He proposed that the time has come for the country to consider the establishment of specialist hospitals to address such health challenges and institute the necessary legislative frameworks for the harvesting and transplanting of organs to save lives.

By: Christian Kpesese/www.eagleghana.com