Eric Seddy Kutortse presenting the key to the pickup to Dr Roberta Lamptey, CEO of KBTH. With them are some staff of the company.
First Sky Limited, a Ghanaian-own company engaged in construction, commodities and hospitality, has cleared the debts of patients totaling GH¢620,000 at the Renal Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH).
The company also presented an amount of GH¢2 million to aid kidney patients who could not afford the cost of dialysis.
First Sky Limited also gave the unit a brand new Toyota Hilux pickup to be used for its day-to-day transport services.
Eric Seddy Kutortse, Group Chairman of First Sky Limited, presenting the money to the leadership of the unit, said the company had been supporting institutions and individuals over the years in various ways, adding that the donation to the unit was its way of giving back to society after a successful business year.
“Last year, we built 60 churches for the Assemblies of God Ghana where we announced that 30 percent proceeds from First Sky Group Net will be spent on humanitarian grounds,” he added.
Mr. Kutortse explained further that the attention of the company was drawn to a patient of the unit who could not afford treatment and paid the full bill after which the company decided to help others in a similar predicament.
“That is why we have decided to pay off all their debts and also make a seed fund of GH¢2m to make treatment free for all; so we are announcing to those owing this unit that all their debts have been paid and now the treatment is free,” he underscored.
Receiving the money, Dr. Vincent Boima, Head of the KBTH Renal Unit, explained the magnitude of the problem in healthcare delivery.
He said the cost of treatment of renal ailments is beyond the reach of many people, especially the younger patients.
“Those who have advanced stages of the disease known as chronic kidney disease, those on stage five usually go on dialysis; but ultimately kidney transplant is the treatment of choice. The early stages like one and two, what is done is to manage their risk factors so they do not migrate to higher stages,” Dr. Boima asserted.
“Kidney transplant started in 2008 and continued until 2014, but it is not done because of logistical problems that would soon be solved for transplant operation to start again,” Dr. Boima said.
He expressed appreciation to First Sky Limited for coming to the aid of the unit, adding that the donation would save lots of lives, especially the young people who are silently passing away because of the disease.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri