Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital gets new dialysis unit

The Western Region’s medical referral center, Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital can now boast of a dialysis unit. The Dialysis Unit, a specialized medical facility that provides a comprehensive renal care and treatment for patients with kidney and renal conditions, is the very first ever to have been established in the Western Region.

The unit has a fully furnished state-of-the-art seven sets of dialysis machines.
Medical Director for Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, Dr. Joseph Tambil in his address at the commissioning of the dialysis unit this morning explained that the hospital owns two of these machinery and that the remainder are leased to them on a placement agreement.

“As we speak there only two machines that belongs to the hospital, the others here are on a placement agreement such that every session that we run, a portion of the funds go to the supplier. They are not outright purchases. So it depends on the usage. The more we use then we pay back to the supplier.

Dr. Tambil acknowledged that the cost of dialysis treatment is quiet expensive and that some financial support for patients will be most appreciated to ease the financial burden on them and relatives. He appealed to the regional health directorate, corporate entities and other stakeholders to consider setting up an endowment fund to support the hospital to procure additional dialysis machine.

“We hope that the Regional Coordinating Council will lead that process and probably start a Western Regional Kidney Foundation or that sort..”he suggested.

Minister for Western Region, Dr. Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah underscored the significance of the dialysis unit. He noted that the facility would enhance medical care for patients that require dialysis, and that ultimately reduce pressures on similar facilities across the country.

“It gives us an opportunity to educate the public on dialysis and renal disease, problems and prevention in our region” he added.