The President of the Renal Patients Association, Kojo Baffour Ahenkorah, has issued an urgent appeal for financial support as renal patients face mounting expenses due to a severe shortage of dialysis consumables.
Speaking with ABC News Ghana, he painted a grim picture of the situation, highlighting that patients are burdened with purchasing medicine, injections, and other essential items, on top of paying exorbitant fees for dialysis sessions.
“We plead with the media also to organize some funds to help support us. Renal patients are suffering,” he emphasized.
The crisis has been exacerbated by the lack of consumables at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, one of the country’s largest healthcare facilities. Ahenkorah expressed his frustration, questioning the authorities’ apparent indifference to the situation.
“Do you have to wait for such things to run out totally?” he exclaimed.
Despite assurances from the hospital management that measures are being taken to clear the essential supplies stuck at the Tema port, the Renal Patients Association remains skeptical, vowing to picket at the Renal Unit on August 21 if the issue is not resolved promptly.
In response to the looming protest, Korle Bu’s Public Relations Officer, Mustapha Salifu, acknowledged the patients’ frustration and apologized for the delay.
He urged the association to exercise patience, stating that the Ministry of Health had committed to clearing the consumables soon. “They have already endured for over two weeks now.
They should let us work cooperatively so that we can clear the container at the port and then resume normal operations,” Salifu added. However, with lives on the line, renal patients are demanding immediate action, not more promises.
