Renal patients at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital plan to stage a protest at the Renal Unit on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, over delays in clearing essential medical supplies stuck at the port.
The shortage of these critical consumables has forced the unit to close for three weeks, leaving patients without necessary care.
Korle Bu’s Public Relations Officer, Mustapha Salifu, acknowledged the closure due to the shortage but assured that efforts are underway to clear the supplies and resume outpatient dialysis services.
However, Kojo Baffour Ahenkora, spokesperson for the Renal Patients Association, expressed frustration, accusing the government of not acting swiftly to address the issue, which he claims endangers patients’ lives.
Speaking to Channel One News, Ahenkora emphasized the financial strain on patients who are forced to pay GH¢800 per session for private dialysis, a cost many cannot sustain.
The patients are calling for immediate action from the government, particularly from the Minister of Finance and the GRA boss, to expedite the release of the supplies from Tema Harbour.
They have vowed to continue their protest at the hospital until their demands are met.
“It’s very expensive, very expensive. This morning, 800 Ghana cedis for a session. Most of us are supposed to do it twice or three times a week.
Where are we going to get the money from? It’s only the government sector or Korle Bu that makes 400 cedis which is not even cheap, almost close to 500 in a session.”
“Please, Dr. Okoe Boye. Minister of Finance and then GRA boss, we beg them. The consumables are in the country, which is why they were able to release the 20-footer container which also contains part of the consumables that we need.
“But the main one that we need at the cabin where we are standing right now is the one at the port, so we beg them. Whatever the case, we beg them. If not, then by Wednesday, we are picketing here.
“All the Renal Dialysis patients are coming to sleep here until we receive the consumables from Tema Port because we cannot keep on going through this thing.”