General News

Over 90% of renal failure patients in Ghana are not on dialysis

Published

7 months ago

October 4, 2023

Majesty

The excessive expense of dialysis therapy in Ghana exacerbates the situation. The average cost of a dialysis session is $53.9. While public centres provide a ray of hope with a reduced cost of $48.2 each session, private facilities charge $56.7 on average, an increase of almost 18%. These expenditures constitute a significant financial strain for the typical Ghanaian, where the monthly minimum pay is roughly $55.70. The National Health Insurance Scheme, which is intended to offer a safety net, does not cover dialysis costs, therefore most patients must pay the whole cost out of cash.

More than 90% of Ghanaian renal failure patients who require dialysis are refused access to this life-saving medication.

This is according to a research titled “Fifty Years of Haemodialysis in Ghana – Current Status, Utilisation, and Cost of Dialysis Services” that has yet to be published.

Dr Elliot Koranteng Tannor and his committed team of carers have released figures that reveal the sad truth of the situation.

The study contains startling statistics. In Ghana, the total prevalence of dialysis is 38.8 patients per million people. Simply put, just 38.8 out of every one million Ghanaians receive dialysis therapy. This prevalence rate is significantly lower than both the African norm (79 per million) and the global average (296 per million).

In reality, Ghana’s rate is lower than the global average for low and middle-income nations, which is 68 per million. These figures offer a grim picture, demonstrating that many Ghanaian patients who require dialysis are unable to obtain it.

According to global estimations, Ghana should have roughly 15,400 dialysis patients. However, the current patient population on dialysis is 1,195. This amounts to 7.8 per cent of the expected demand for this life-saving medication. The other 90% face a lack of access to the care they require to live.

Dialysis facilities, while badly needed, have limited capacity. The average number of patients in each facility is only 20. Despite these limits, most centres are running at or near maximum capacity in order to fulfil the tremendous demand.

In Ghana, the quality of dialysis care is also in jeopardy. The restricted nephrology workforce has a substantial impact on quality. Ghana has 0.44 nephrologists per million people, which is significantly lower than the global average for poor and middle-income nations (1.6 per million).

With 57.5% of dialysis facilities in Ghana without a resident or visiting nephrologist, the paucity of nephrologists has a direct influence on the quality of service. It is difficult to appropriately monitor patients and give appropriate therapy in the absence of specialised renal care experts.

The excessive expense of dialysis therapy in Ghana exacerbates the situation. The average cost of a dialysis session is $53.9. While public centres provide a ray of hope with a reduced cost of $48.2 each session, private facilities charge $56.7 on average, an increase of almost 18%.

These expenditures constitute a significant financial strain for the typical Ghanaian, where the monthly minimum pay is roughly $55.70. The National Health Insurance Scheme, which is intended to offer a safety net, does not cover dialysis costs, therefore most patients must pay the whole cost out of cash.

General News

Cecilia Dapaah’s docket has already been returned by EOCO – OSP

Published

7 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Majesty

Mr. Darko also dismissed assertions that the docket it provided to EOCO was unfounded, claiming that EOCO is shown a lack of interest in researching the situation and instead seeking to blame the OSP.

The Director of Strategy, Research, and Communications at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Samuel Appiah Darko, has revealed that the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has already returned the docket against former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah.

Mr Darko informed Bernard Avle, host of the Citi Breakfast Show on Citi FM, that EOCO’s claims that it wants to return the docket are false because this has already occurred.

“Let me start with what EOCO said yesterday [Monday, May 6] that they were going to return the docket to the OSP, that is not accurate. They have long returned the docket to us with an explanation that they have been advised by the AG [Attorney General] not to investigate but remember, we did not say to prosecute, [to] investigate and so I don’t understand why EOCO will say they are now going to return the docket to OSP.”

Mr Darko also dismissed assertions that the docket it provided to EOCO was unfounded, claiming that EOCO has shown a lack of interest in researching the situation and instead sought to blame the OSP.

“The second point I want to make is this whole idea that the docket that the OSP sent to EOCO was baseless and if you will indulge me, I am going to be a bit detailed, although we are not supposed to do this but our point is that if there is no appetite to want to investigate and prosecute, tell the people of Ghana that there is no appetite but don’t try to put the blame on the OSP.”

On Monday, while addressing the media at the 14th Commonwealth Regional Conference of Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Africa, EOCO’s Executive Director, Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo-Danquah, stated that her organisation intends to return the docket since there is nothing else they can do.

“If you read the A-G’s advice, whatever that we would have done had already been directed at the police CID. And like he said this morning, when you investigate a case and you do not find anything, we should be bold enough to come and tell the public that for this case, even though I suspected this at the day, that wasn’t what came out; we should be bold the Ghanaian.”

General News

Police clash with civilians at Dambai kills teenager

Published

7 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Majesty

Kwaku Sey, a 19-year-old Dambai Lakeside resident, was reportedly shot dead on Sunday, May 5, after a conflict between police and furious youth outside Dambai Town Hall, the headquarters of Eastern Krachi in the Oti region.

Frances Gesaloge Boyesah Okoro, a neighbourhood resident, alleged that police officers on night patrol went to the area to arrest several “ghetto” youngsters, “who were smoking hard drugs at the time.”

He said the young guy resisted arrest, which resulted in confusion and warning shots, with Sey being wounded by a stray bullet and dying in the hospital.

Dambai Lakeside Assemblyman Emmanuel Atali corroborated the conflict between the police and the teenager, stating that he heard a gunshot on Sunday at about 8:pm and discovered the dead lying in a pool of blood.

He stated that he went to the police station to file an official report, and the body was subsequently sent to Worawora Hospital for preservation.

This generated terror in the town, as both residents and pedestrians fled for safety.

Some of the irate youngsters smashed two police officers’ bikes on the spot.

Police have detained two persons to aid with investigations.

Meanwhile, police from the Divisional and Regional Commands remained mute on the event when the Ghana News Agency visited the station to confirm the claims.

General News

Truck kills 10-year-old hawker in Mankessim

Published

8 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Majesty

A 10-year-old hawker was killed when a tipper truck with the registration number GM 2312 – 21 collided with her in Mankessim, Mfantseman Municipality, Central Region.

The deceased, Hawa, was allegedly crossing the Mankessim-Cape Coast Highway when she was run over in the middle of the road.

According to Kasapa News, the event occurred early Monday morning, May 6, 2024.

Hawa, who was selling mangoes, was transported to Mercy Women’s Catholic Hospital in Mankessim but was confirmed dead upon arrival.

Her remains have been placed in the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital mortuary for preservation.

Meanwhile, the truck driver was apprehended and is cooperating with the inquiry.

Residents concerned about the recent incidence of automobile collisions in the region have urged the Highway Authority to install speed ramps.