The Jospong Group of Companies has shown its commitment to improving the lives of Ghanaians by presenting a total of almost GH¢500,000 to three renal facilities in Accra. The generous donation is intended to support the treatment of kidney patients at the Korle Bu Renal Unit, the University of Ghana Dialysis Centre, and the Renal Unit of the Bank Hospital who are unable to afford dialysis treatments.
During the presentations at the respective hospitals, the Chief Corporate Communication Officer of the Jospong Group, Sophia Kudjordji, emphasized the company’s dedication to improving the health and well-being of people. She expressed that the company’s mission extends beyond creating jobs to ensuring that people are healthy and able to contribute to the development of the nation.
In addition to the donations in Accra, the Jospong Group also has plans to replicate this support at some of the regional hospitals to aid in the treatment of dialysis patients in the regions. Madam Kudjodji also appealed to the government to consider placing dialysis treatment on the national insurance scheme to ease the burden of the cost on patients.
The presentations fulfilled the company’s promise made during its 2023 Thanksgiving service to support dialysis patients with an amount of GH¢500,000. The CEO of Korle Bu Teaching Hospitals, Dr. Opoku Ware Ampomah, who received the cheque on behalf of the Korle Bu Renal Unit, urged parliament to expedite action on approving the proposed fees for dialysis treatment. He noted the financial challenges the hospital faces and the need for support from individuals and corporate Ghana to bear some of the costs.
Lucy Brimpong Ofori-Ayeh, the Director of Operations at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC), commended the Jospong Group for coming to the aid of dialysis patients. She emphasized that the support will greatly reduce mortality, especially for patients who are unable to pay for their treatment due to their economic conditions.
Moreover, the funding of 16 dialysis machines is needed for the University of Ghana Medical Centre to run optimally, as it currently has only four machines. The Deputy Director of Nursing Services at the centre, Rita Momo Sika-Nartey, highlighted the financial challenges patients face, resulting in many patients only undergoing one or two sessions of dialysis instead of the required three. Altimately, it is estimated that between 13% to 17% of Ghana’s population have some form of renal function impairment and approximately 2,000 people are currently on dialysis, which means that between 13,000 and 17,500 people are without treatment.
This effort by the Jospong Group serves as a significant contribution to the healthcare system in Ghana, and it is hoped that other corporate bodies and the government will also step up to support and improve healthcare services for all Ghanaians.