Dialysis Crisis Deepens at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital
The Renal Unit at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana’s largest referral facility, has been shuttered for over a week as of May 6, 2025, leaving dialysis patients in a dire situation. With no official explanation from the hospital, patients are grappling with uncertainty and fear as their life-sustaining treatments are disrupted.
Kojo Baffour Ahenkora, spokesperson for the Renal Patients Association, highlighted the severe toll on patients, noting heightened anxiety and worsening health conditions. For many, regular dialysis is a matter of survival, and the prolonged closure has left them with few affordable alternatives, as private facilities often charge exorbitant rates.
This isn’t the first time the unit has faced such challenges. A 2024 report revealed a prior shutdown that resulted in the deaths of three kidney patients due to non-functioning equipment and poor communication. The recurring issues point to systemic problems, including leadership failures and financial constraints, as past closures were linked to unpaid debts and inadequate dialysis fees.
The hospital’s Public Relations Officer is reportedly in discussions with management to address the crisis, but patients and advocates are demanding urgent action and transparency. As calls for resolution grow louder, the situation underscores the broader struggles within Ghana’s healthcare system, leaving vulnerable patients bearing the brunt of these failures.