By Samira Larbie
Accra, Nov 12, GNA – The Ghana Airports Company Limited has donated dialysis equipment worth about two million cedis to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) to aid patients’ treatment.
The donation includes two dialysis machines, two chairs, and payment for one month of dialysis treatment for 50 patients.
The company under its staff contributions initiative also made a cheque donation of Ghc 200,000 to the National Cardiothoracic Center to assist needy patients to undergo heart surgeries.
Mrs Yvonne Opare, the Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company Limited, speaking at the event said this formed part of the company’s corporate social responsibility to assist the dialysis department solve some of the challenges they were faced with.
She said the same gesture would be replicated at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to also offer some relief support to patients.
Dr Frank Owusu Sekyere, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of KBTH, receiving the equipment expressed appreciation to the company for the support adding that this showed how they valued the lives of patients.
He said health was a shared responsibility and given the activities of the hospital there were always patients who needed support and as such the gesture was appreciated.
Dr Sekyere assured that the hospital would put the equipment to good use for the benefit of patients and appealed to other corporate organisations to emulate the gesture.
He said the hospital as part of its 100th anniversary had outlined several projects and called for institutional support in this regard.
Dr Vincent Boima, Kidney Disease Specialist KBTH, said due to the inadequate dialysis machines at the hospital they were overwhelmed by the over 300 patients adding that this would reduce their frustration, enable patients to have quality treatment, stay healthy and survive for the long-term.
He said the machines were new and appealed to the company to again assist with the required accessories to make them functional.
Professor Martin Tamatey, Heart Surgeon and Acting Director of the National Cardiothoracic Center, expressed gratitude to the company for making the cash donation to aid surgeries at the Center.
He said the average cost for a heart surgery was equivalent to about eight thousand dollars hence, the donation was good news to patients who needed to urgently undergo heart surgery.
Prof Tamatey advised the public, especially those with diabetes, hypertension, above 40 years and overweight, to be mindful of their lifestyle to prevent acquired heart diseases in future.
GNA