The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi is positioning itself to lead in the management and treatment of kidney diseases and renal failure.

To this end, the hospital has installed three brand new dialysis machines which are in full operation and would install an additional 12 new dialysis machines by the end of May 2024, to augment its operations.

Professor Otchere Addai-Mensah, Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, who made this known, said prior attention would also be given to children with renal problems to undergo dialysis treatment at the facility.

Speaking to a cross-section of journalists in Kumasi, he said hitherto, dialysis treatment for children with kidney problems seemed not to exist.

The hospital was therefore taking steps to provide dialysis services to give children the opportunity to live, irrespective of the fact that they might have developed end-stage renal failure.

“Usually, we do not have dialysis for children, and it is one area we are looking at as a hospital – to give children the opportunity to live irrespective of their end stages of renal failure.”

Prof. Addai-Mensah said some benevolent organisations were helping to bring dialysis machines to boost the hospital’s operations and help failing kidneys function properly.  

He said the installation and efficient operations of dialysis treatment at the facility would ease the burden on Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and help reduce the cost of treatment for patients.

Professor Addai-Mensah called for more support from corporate organisations, individuals and civil society organisations to help the facility provide advanced and efficient clinical care to patients.

On the ongoing ‘Health KATH Project’ he said work was progressing steadily with the leaking roofs being repaired.

“Typically, two weeks after rains, you will still see drippings on the floors of D5, and the upper floors but that is not what is going on now”, he explained. 

He commended the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who is the brainchild of the project, for leading the appeal to advance healthcare delivery in the country.