Local doctors to provide kidney transplantation services in Ghana - Ofori- Atta
The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta says a team of Ghanaian doctors have been trained to provide kidney transplantation services in Ghana.
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The move according to the minister, is to reduce the dialysis burden on the nation.
“To reduce the dialysis burden on the nation, a local team of Ghanaian doctors have been trained to provide kidney transplantation services in Ghana at a reduced cost and have successfully undertaken the first few kidney transplantations in the country”.
He said this at Parliament during the presentation of the 2024 budget statement on Wednesday, November 15.
He added that the Ministry will soon commission a 100-bed ultramodern Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence aimed at facilitating the provision of kidney transplantation services at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) acquired a new MRI Chiller System for Radiology to enhance imaging services. KBTH also initiated the manufacturing of Hypertonic Saline, a critical resource for surgeries and Hyponatremia treatment, making it the sole manufacturing site in Ghana.
Regarding other health projects in parts of the country, the minister said the Ministry has completed projects such as the construction of 5 health facilities in Elubo, Bogoso, Mpohor, Nsuaem and Wassa Dunkwa; upgrading of 1 public health facility in Akontombra in the Western North Region; construction of 1 District Hospital at Sewua; construction of District Hospital at Konongo; modernization and equipping of Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital, Kibi District Hospital, Aburi and Atibie Hospitals; completion of the reactivated hospital project sites at Fomena and Takoradi European Flats Staff Accommodation projects.
He further mentioned that the government has renegotiated the contract terms of the 160-bed La General Hospital project and will now be funded through the national budget.
He said the contractor is expected back on site next week.
In terms on active membership of the National Health Insurance Authority, Mr Ofori Atta said as at end September, active members of the scheme stood at 14.4 million, “representing 45 percent of the targeted population of 20 million and active card holding indigents was 1.7 million representing 74 percent of the targeted 2.3 million indigent population”.