Dialysis Center Opens In Kumasi, Ghana
A DIALYSIS Center has been opened at the Hart Adventist Hospital at Ahinsan, Kumasi, to support the health facility in fighting and treating kidney diseases in Ghana. The center so far has in place three dialysis machines and plans are in place to install seven others.
Cedi Investment Group, a Riverside, California based company having been approached by the Chaplain of Valley View University, Pastor P. O. Mensah and the President of the South Central Ghana Conference (SCGC) of the Seventh-day Adventists, Pastor Kwabena Annor Boafo decided to invest in the patient care of Ghanaians by providing the resources needed.
Dialysis Centers
Accessing specialized health care such as a dialysis center is a challenge in Ghana. There are only four dialysis centers in the Ashanti Region and not more than 20 centers providing such care to a population of 22 million people.
The four centers in Ashanti region, therefore relatively provides treatment services for 5 regions : Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Northern, Upper East and Upper West.
With the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimating that by the year 2020, one in every six persons will be diagnosed of kidney infection, Cedi Investment Group, whose partners are all of Ghanaian descent could not look away but partner with Hart Adventist Hospital to provide such patient care.
Data Collection
Speaking in interview after opening of the centre, the Medical Director of the Hart Adventist Hospital, Dr Kwadwo Gyebi Agyenim Boateng said the hospital deemed it a privilege to have the center in managing acute kidney diseases.
He observed many have been infected with diabetes and that once the incidence of diabetes increased, kidney troubles would also increase.
He however, expressed worry that the health community in the country could not produce data on kidney infection cases due to low access to healthcare by patients with kidney diseases.
On that score, he called on the Ghana Kidney Association (GKA) to work closely with facilities that have dialysis centers and other stakeholders in healthcare to help solve the problem of difficulty in data collection on kidney cases.
He also called on the GKA to monitor and regulate facilities with dialysis centers to ensure enough professionalism in the fight against kidney diseases.
Direct Investment
The President of Cedi Investment Group Incorporated in California, US, Mr Stephen Kwadwo Ababio said his office assessed the need for the dialysis machines for the center upon request from the Hart hospital.
He said in the area of giving back to society, Cedi Investment deemed necessary to invest an initial amount of GH¢280, 000.00 for the purchase of three dialysis machines to support the hospital.
He said Cedi Investment was collaborating with the hospital to build an Oncology center to support the treatment of cancer and pledged for more future collaborations.
Pastor Annor Boafo prayed and dedicated the center into the care of the Almighty God and asked for Divine guidance and direction for the facility.
He on behalf of the SCGC requested from the Member of Parliament for Asokwa, Ms Patricia Apiagyei to support the hospital with an Ambulance and manage the bad smell emanating from the activities of the nearby Kumasi Abattoir.
A Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Asokwa Constituency Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Francis Adomako who represented the MP pledged support and asked for some patience from the hospital in managing their requests to the government.