The Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital is poised to revolutionize renal care with the introduction of peritoneal dialysis, a patient-friendly treatment option.
Currently, renal patients at the hospital receive hemodialysis due to the unavailability of special fluids required for peritoneal dialysis.
According to CEO Dr. Opoku-Ware Ampomah, peritoneal dialysis offers a more convenient and cost-effective solution for patients.
Dr. Ampomah explained that peritoneal dialysis involves introducing a special fluid into the abdominal cavity through a catheter, allowing the body to exchange waste substances.
The fluid is then drained, and the process can be performed by patients themselves at home, reducing hospital visits.
This treatment option is expected to significantly reduce hospital time for renal patients.
A major breakthrough in implementing peritoneal dialysis is the local production of the required special fluids by pharmaceutical company Atlantic Life Sciences.
Previously, importing these fluids posed significant challenges, but with local production, renal patient care is expected to improve dramatically.
Dr. Ampomah also welcomed the government’s procurement of 30 additional dialysis machines for the hospital, addressing frequent shortages of dialysis consumables.
To ensure optimal utilization of these machines, the hospital will build staff capacity through training, and also plans to purchase more machines to augment existing resources.
