The Chairman of the Health Committee of Parliament and MP for Effiduase Asokore, Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, has said that shutting down the Renal Unit of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital is not an option.
In an interview on Eyewitness News, the lawmaker said Korle-Bu cannot be blamed for the increase in charges for dialysis treatment because they cannot operate at the current cost.
He stated that the committee will be meeting with the management of Korle-Bu, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and the Ministry of Health to deliberate on the appropriate charges for dialysis treatment.
The MP said the hospital has been instructed not to charge the new fees.
“They have a peculiar issue, they cannot operate at the current cost. Their hands are tied up because consumables are very expensive. Be it as it may, when they bring their proposal, we will sit with the Ministry and NHIA and then there’s a way that there can be additional subsidy or cost can be taken care of for some other people, we will do that. But for now, we cannot blame Korle-Bu, I have realised that I wouldn’t blame them on any day. The law says that they should come for parliamentary approval of fees. We don’t want the place to be shut down, in the latter case, I will go for mercy, we can’t shut down the place. We have told them to continue to work and bring their proposal and contract. We don’t expect them to charge the new fees because it has not come to Parliament,” he said.
Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie expressed appreciation to First Sky for supporting kidney patients over the years.
“We need to say that First Sky, a private entity whose social responsibility is to subsidize healthcare for patients who cannot afford it, they are doing very well,” he remarked.
The renal unit has been closed to outpatients since May 22, 2023, forcing patients to seek dialysis services elsewhere.
The Renal Patients Association has made an urgent plea to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to reopen its renal unit for outpatient services.
