Ghana's renal unit reopens after five-month closure

A major renal unit at Ghana's publicly funded Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in the capital, Accra, has reopened after a five-month closure.

The country’s largest treatment centre for patients suffering kidney disease shut because of budgetary issues and it was unable to pay for the everyday needs of those needing its services.

This week, the hospital management announced that it was in collaboration with the Ministry of Health

to resolve debt resulting from cost under-recoveries.

“The Ministry of Health is working closely with the management of KBTH to offset the 4m Ghanaian cedis ($335,860/£273,610) debt, occasioned by the cost under recoveries,” the statement read.

Last week, Ghanaian MPs summoned Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu about the unit's closure

According to Kofi Baffour Ahenkorah, the head of a patients' group, 19 people have lost their lives since the facility closed.

Many patients who could not afford treatment at private hospitals were left without options during the closure.

Patients in need of dialysis treatment typically have to visit the hospital three times a week.

The cost of treatment at KBTH was $190 (£160) per week, considerably lower than private hospitals' rates.

Article and image originally appeared on BBC News