President of the Renal Association of Ghana, Mr. Baffour Kojo Ahenkorah, has revealed that one would require GHC6,000 every single month to purchase drugs after a kidney transplant.
The situation he lamented was alarming and called for consented efforts in addressing it.
He noted that it is not easy to manage kidney cases because it requires lots of money for those affected.
Speaking in an interview on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, he said kidney conditions require treatment, which comes in two forms.
He stated that you can either have a kidney transplant or go on dialysis.
Mr. Ahenkorah disclosed that if you choose to go for the kidney transplant, then you are required to be on drugs for the rest of your life, and that will cost not less than GHC 5,000.
He also explained that with the transplant, you are required to have someone from your blood line donate the kidney for you.
“There are two types of treatment for renal disease. You have the option of undergoing a transplant or dialysis. The way God designed us can cause us to rely on a kidney, therefore you can ask someone to give his or her kidney to you. You have a bed-stage renal case; you will need the assistance of someone with a bloodline.
But after the transplant, it does not end there. You are required to depend on drugs for the rest of your natural life. You will spend between Ghc5000 and Ghc6,000 every month to buy drugs. You will need antibodies to sustain the kidney that was transplanted into your body,” he stated.
He told the host, Kwabena Agyapong, that the second option, which is dialysis, has also increased.
He said some facilities charge between Ghc 800 and Ghc 1,200 per session for dialysis.
According to him, every kidney patient requires three sessions per week as recommended by medical professionals.
However, they are unable to pay for it, and so the majority of them do two sessions per week so they can survive.
“The dialysis is also expensive. Some of the facilities charge Ghc800 to Ghc1,200 per session. It is recommended by doctors that you do three sessions per week, but because it is expensive, the majority of them do only two sessions per week. It is only Korle-Bu that charges the patients about GHC 500 per session.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
