Ministry of Health condemns unapproved dialysis fee hike at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital

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Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital

The has strongly criticized the management of the for implementing increased dialysis fees without proper approval from or the Ministry itself.

Kidney failure patients seeking dialysis sessions at the Renal Unit of the hospital have been subjected to the new fee structure, leading to concerns and disapproval from the Ministry.

This development has prompted the to summon the management of to provide an explanation for the introduction of the new fees without adhering to the established due process.

In an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, Isaac Offei Baah, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Health, condemned the unilateral fee review by Korle-Bu management, labelling it “illegal.”

He outlined the established procedures for implementing fee changes in healthcare institutions:

“The processes are that you come up with a proposal and discuss it at their management [Korle-Bu] level, and if they agree, they put it forward to the Ministry of Health. If the Ministry agrees to the terms and charges, then the Ministry forwards it to for consideration and approval before it can be charged as a fee at various health institutions. So if that is not done, anything that is being charged becomes illegal.”

He further emphasized that the Ministry had not been informed or consulted regarding the fee revision by Korle-Bu, making the new charges unlawful.

As a response to this breach, the Ministry has instructed Korle-Bu to immediately halt the implementation of the new charges and revert to the previous fee structure. The hospital's management has been invited for negotiations and an explanation regarding the unauthorized fee increase.

While Isaac Offei Baah did not disclose the number of patients affected by the illegal charges, he urged patients not to pay the new fees but to adhere to the old fee structure. Further details are expected to be communicated by the Ministry in subsequent updates.

The CEO of Korle-Bu, Dr Opoku Ware Ampomah, revealed that only six patients had been subjected to the new fee structure, shedding light on the scale of the issue.

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