Dr. Opoku Ware Ampomah, CEO of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, has clarified the recent temporary closure of the hospital’s renal unit. The closure, which lasted three weeks, was attributed to a shortage of essential supplies needed for effective operation.
Dr Ampomah explained that the delay in receiving these supplies was due to global shipping issues. The hospital had been in contact with its supplier and had settled its obligations. However, complications with shipping lines and global disruptions, including those affecting the Suez Canal, led to delays in supply delivery.
The much-needed consumables only arrived at the beginning of July, and subsequent delays in clearing the supplies from the port further exacerbated the situation. In an interview on The Point of View on Channel One TV, Dr Ampomah addressed the concerns of renal patients planning to picket the unit on August 21 in protest of the supply shortage. He noted that during the closure, the hospital could only handle emergency and inpatient cases, while outpatient dialysis services were suspended.
Patients were advised to seek treatment at alternative facilities. Dr. Ampomah assured me that the renal unit has reopened and resumed outpatient dialysis services.
He acknowledged the patients’ frustrations and emphasised that Korle-Bu is preferred by many because it is affordable despite the availability of dialysis services at other facilities. “We engaged with our supplier, paid our obligations, and awaited the n.