A Physician Specialist at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital has revealed the dire situation in the Upper East Region for patients with various kidney illnesses. 

Emmanuel Nsobila Akatibo has been working at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital since March 2022. He is the only Physician Specialist in the hospital.

Sunday, January 15, 2023, he took to Facebook to speak on how urgently the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital needs a haemodialysis centre. 

“The department of Internal Medicine has recorded over 30 kidney failure cases that needed dialysis either as a long-term renal replacement therapy or a short course of dialysis to allow time for the kidneys to recover. Unfortunately, this service is not available in the regional hospital which serves as the main referral centre for the whole of Upper East, parts of North East, Burkina Faso and Togo,” Mr Akatibo stated.

He also revealed that: “Out of those who had end-stage kidney failure and needed long-term haemodialysis, only a few could afford to travel to Tamale the nearest centre for dialysis. This didn't come easy for them at all, so some dropped along the way because they couldn't keep up. 

“Aside from the cost of the dialysis and medications which is expensive, these patients had to travel 2-to-3 times a week with a caregiver to Tamale for the dialysis. This puts an extra burden on their families because some just had to stop working in order to be able to travel almost every other day for dialysis. Due to the inconveniences and extra financial burden on them, some couldn't maintain it and died along the way. Those who could have to reduce the recommended 3 times a week dialysis to either once a week or once every two weeks.”

He added that: “Others had to entirely relocate with their family to Tamale, Kumasi and Accra in order to have easy access to dialysis centres.”

According to the Physician Specialist, he has observed that the aforementioned inconvenience worsened the conditions of most of the patients “and affected their quality of life.” 

“15 out of those who were visiting Tamale for regular dialysis for the year 2022 died because they couldn't afford to travel almost every other day for dialysis,” he stated, adding that some of them could have survived since their condition was reversible. 

“Most of these patients were young adults in their prime age, breadwinners of their families who probably just needed 2-to-4 dialysis sessions to recover from the Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) but we just had to watch on helpless[ly],” he bemoaned. 

Owing to the situation described, the hospital has started an awareness drive to sensitise “the public on kidney diseases for prevention, early detection and treatment to prevent progression.” At the same time, there is a campaign to help the facility set up a haemodialysis centre for the entire region.

In conclusion, Emmanuel Nsobila Akatibo made an appeal to interested persons to join the campaign so lives can be saved in the Upper East Region.