By Kingsley Nana Buadu
Patients at the Renal Unit of the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital say, the cost of treatment and thought of it are killing them more than the disease itself.
They are therefore calling on the government and other interested partners to assist in subsidizing the cost of kidney treatment in Ghana.
According to a patient who is an advocate for kidney patients, Thomas Paa Kwesi Cann, government should consider subsidizing the cost of kidney treatment as a measure to save the many patients dying as a result of the cost.
This was also confirmed by the Nurse In-Charge of the Renal Unit at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital as they marked the with health work and free screening exercises.
According to a patient and an advocate for kidney patients, Thomas Paa Kwesi Cann, the cost of the treatment and the thought of it kill more kidney patients than the disease itself.
This was also confirmed by the Nurse In-Charge of the Renal Unit at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital as they mark the day with health screening and walk in Cape Coast.
The theme for the occasion is ” Preparing for the unexpected, Supporting the vulnerable”.
Kidneys are two bean-shaped organs within the human body. It main functions are to remove toxins and excess water from the blood and produce urine. Kidneys also help to control blood pressure to reduce red blood cells and keep bones healthy.
Part of the activities that marked the day were a health walk and free Kidney screening by the renal Unit of the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital. At the time of our visit, about 350 people had been screened in two screening centres.
According to the nurse in charge of the Renal Unit of the CCTH, Madam Eunice De-Graft Eshun, the unit used to have over 200 patients but has reduced to over 80 as a result of two other Renal centers opened at Shama in the Western region and Winneba.
He explained that most of the cases they see are chronic because patients are scared to report cases because of the high cost of treatment until it gets to the last stages.
A patient, Thomas Paa Kwesi Cann, explained that a patient is expected to have at least three dialysis sessions a week. One session of dialysis cost 350 Ghana Cedis at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and that’s the least you’ll pay in any Renal centre across the country.
He noted that many of them are dying not because of the disease itself but the thought of the cost involved in the treatment.