By Philip Tengzu, GNA
Wa, (UW/R), Aug. 5, GNA – Mr Alban S. K Bagbin, the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, has commissioned a GH₵4 million expanded dialysis unit at the Upper West Regional Hospital in Wa to improve access to life-saving kidney care.
The Speaker of Parliament facilitated the expanded facility implemented by the Sustainable Health Education and Interventions Limited (SHEILD) in collaboration with the Upper West Parliamentary Caucus and other stakeholders.
The expansion included six new dialysis machines, ancillary equipment and staff training support to the hospital’s renal unit, which increased the number of dialysis machines from three to nine.
It was expected to improve access to specialist kidney care for the residents of the Upper West, Upper East, Savannah, North East and Bono regions, as well as other parts of Ghana’s northern corridor.
The project formed part of Mr Bagbin’s personal commitment to ensuring accessible healthcare services for the people of the Upper West Region and neighbouring regions.
Speaking at a ceremony in Wa to commission the facility, Mr Bagbin described the project as an important investment in healthcare equity and social justice.
He said the people of the region deserve access to quality healthcare and opportunities to live healthy, productive lives, irrespective of their geographical location.
Mr Bagbin indicated that for many years patients with kidney disease from the region had been compelled to travel to Kumasi or Accra for dialysis.
He explained that some families delayed seeking dialysis services due to the financial burden of transportation, accommodation and treatment.
“I have personally airlifted some patients from the region at great cost to Accra for dialysis treatment, only for them to die”, he said, which underscored the need to decentralise specialist healthcare services.
Mr Bagbin commended the SHEILD and other partners for their commitment to the project and called for sustained collaboration to strengthen specialist healthcare services across the country.
The intervention also demonstrated the commitment of SHEILD to strengthen equitable healthcare delivery, supporting health systems and improving outcomes for patients living with chronic and non-communicable diseases.
Dr. Sylvie Anie, a Board Director of the SHEILD, said the organisation remained committed to addressing critical gaps in healthcare delivery through sustainable interventions.
She explained that the expanded facility represented not mere additional equipment but hope for patients and families who had struggled for years to access specialised kidney care.
Dr. Anie explained that the initiative aligned with SHEILD’s mission to promote health education, strengthen health systems and support interventions that deliver lasting public health benefits.
Dr. John Nkrumah Mills, also a Board Director of SHEILD and a specialist surgeon, educated the people on kidney health and encouraged the public to drink at least six litres of water a day to reduce the risk of kidney disease.
He described the project as a demonstration of the impact of strategic partnerships in improving healthcare delivery.
“This facility demonstrates what is possible when partners unite around a shared vision of improving patient outcomes and strengthening our national health system,” he said.
The facility expansion had come at a time when kidney disease was emerging as a major public health challenge in Ghana, driven largely by hypertension, diabetes and obesity among others.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Philip Tengzu, GNA
Reporter’s email address: [email protected]