The management of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has issued a renewed appeal for more dialysis machines amid a critical shortage impacting its service delivery. As the sole government hospital with a dialysis centre in the Ashanti Region, KATH urgently needs [specific number] additional dialysis machines to meet the increasing demand for dialysis treatment. Kwame Frimpong, the hospital’s Public Relations Officer, disclosed that three of the seven dialysis machines currently used were purchased with internally generated funds.
The hospital’s other operational demands exacerbate this financial strain. The appeal for additional machines comes from the Ministry of Health’s acquisition of 30 new dialysis machines for the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. “We do not have enough.
We are the only government institution in this part of the country with a dialysis centre, and there is considerable pressure on the machines we have. We’ve bought three new machines and repaired two old ones using our internally generated funds. We’ve also received a promise of two machines from the Ghana Airport Company Limited,” Frimpong said.
He emphasized the unsustainable nature of relying on internally generated funds for such essential equipment. He called on the government to provide the necessary support to meet the hospital’s needs and ensure we can continue to provide the quality service our patients deserve. The appeal for more dialysis machines is part of a broader call for urgent upgrades at KATH, Ghana’s second-largest referral centre.
In June, doctors at the hospital’s oncology unit went on strike demanding repairs to the Linear Accelerator System (LINAC) machine, which had been out of service since October 2023. The strike was suspended after assurances were given that the necessary repairs would be undertaken. The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has also voiced concern over the persistent lack of essential medical equipment at KATH, highlighting the severe shortages faced by the cardio unit.
“We struggle with basic equipment. Dialysis machines are hard to come by here. If I were to have an emergency and needed treatment, the hospital might be unable to provide it,” the Asantehene remarked, highlighting the urgent need for additional dialysis machines.
During a recent visit, Health Minister Dr Bernard Okoe Boye assured that efforts to upgrade KATH would be expedited. “We will work quickly to address the upgrades needed. Given the high patient volumes, equipment and tools often require frequent replacement, and we are committed to ensuring the hospital receives the support it needs,” he stated.
.
