Kwaku Agyeman-Manu
Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, has disclosed that the Finance Minister has approved GH¢4 million to pay off the debts of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital’s renal unit.
Mr. Agyeman-Manu stated on the floor of Parliament yesterday that this was in response to a request from his ministry.
“The Ministry of Health has since requested the Ministry of Finance to settle the total indebtedness of GH¢4 million and the good news is that the Minister of Finance has just approved the disbursement of this GH¢4 million to support our patients in Korle-Bu,” he stressed.
The outpatient department of the renal unit was closed in May for partial renovations, and was reopened with a hike in fee.
The facility was forced to close again due to public protest over the service cost increase from GH¢380 to GH¢765.42.
The shutdown, which created trouble for dialysis patients, was said to have resulted in the deaths of 19 people.
The facility has since reopened after the intervention of the Health Minister.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House