The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) has confirmed the arrival of a vital shipment of dialysis consumables, currently being cleared at the Tema Port, following the sudden closure of its renal unit nearly two weeks ago.

The closure, which left many patients without critical care, tragically resulted in the loss of three lives.

In an official statement, the hospital's management explained that efforts are underway to expedite the clearance of the supplies with the assistance of the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Ghana Supply Company.

The aim is to restore full dialysis services at the hospital as quickly as possible.

“We anticipate that the outpatient section of our Dialysis Centre will return to full operations early next week.  

“Unfortunately, procedural lapses and documentation issues on the part of the shipping line caused a delay in the clearance, which we had hoped to complete two weeks ago, the statement noted,” the statement noted.

During the interim, some dialysis patients were treated at the National Cardiothoracic Centre within Korle Bu to minimize the impact of the closure.

The hospital reassured the public that they are working tirelessly to resolve the situation over the weekend, with a prompt resumption of services expected.

KBTH management also issued a heartfelt apology to patients and their families, acknowledging the distress caused by the disruption.

They expressed gratitude for the patience and understanding shown during this difficult period.

To prevent future shortages and improve service delivery, the Minister of Health, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, has procured 30 additional dialysis machines, along with a year's supply of consumables for Korle Bu.

"The specifications of the new machines will allow us to access their essential consumables from the open market at competitive prices," the hospital added.

Mr. Ahenkorah, President of the Kidney Patients Association, confirmed that three patients had died due to the lack of available treatment, underscoring the urgent need for the unit to remain operational.