The Ministry of Health has strongly criticized the management of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for increasing dialysis fees without following the proper procedures of obtaining approval from Parliament or the ministry.
Patients with kidney failure who undergo dialysis at the hospital are now being charged a new fee. The Health Ministry has taken action by summoning the hospital management to explain why the new fee was implemented without going through the required due process.
The hospital has faced significant backlash following reports of the review of its dialysis charges. Isaac Offei Baah, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Health, described the fee review by Korle-Bu management as “illegal” since it was done without the necessary approval. He emphasized that the correct process involves proposing the fee to hospital management, then seeking approval from the Ministry of Health and ultimately from Parliament before implementing any changes in fees at healthcare institutions.
“In the case of this dialysis issue, the CEO of Korle-Bu has come out to admit the fact that, they have not informed the ministry, and they have not confirmed the charges at Korle-Bu. The issue now is, how come the fee has not been approved and is being charged to the patients? So it is in line with this, the ministry has summoned the management of Korle-Bu and ordered that the new charges should not be charged patients and with immediate effect, revert to the old charges. They are invited to come for a proper negotiation and explain why this issue should happen at this critical moment. If you want to increase, what is the justification?”
The CEO of Korle-Bu, Dr. Opoku Ware Ampomah, chose not to comment on the number of patients who have been unlawfully charged. Instead, he encouraged patients to disregard the new fee and continue paying the old fee. He assured that this matter will be addressed in the next communication. According to Dr. Ampomah, only six patients were charged the new fee.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana
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