The Minority in Parliament is demanding that the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) refunds the excess fees it levied on patients seeking dialysis treatment from its Renal Unit.
Earlier this week, the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital announced a more than 100% increment in the cost of kidney dialysis treatment from a previous ₵380 to ₵765.
The hospital had blamed the price increase on the removal of tax exemptions on consumables.
According to the hospital, maintaining the old price may result in the shutting down of the dialysis centre in a matter of days.
However, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh says the price increase is an illegality.
Speaking on JoyFM on Wednesday, he said the hospital cannot change the fees or charges without first consulting parliament, as the law states.
In a statement signed by the Member of Parliament on behalf of the Minority, he called on the hospital to refund any excess illegal fees patients may have paid as a result of the hospital’s announcement.
“Although this may not be enough restitution to placate patients who may have suffered needlessly from the hospital’s earlier decision, refunds in terms of cash or an offer to provide dialysis services to offset the difference between the original and adjusted prices is the right thing to do and will go a long way to demonstrate to patients that the hospital is sensitive to their plight and is willing to do right by them,” he said.
He added that, “We have taken note that our timely intervention calling on hospital authorities to reverse the unauthorized and illegal increase in dialysis fees has led to the hospital acknowledging that the fees were prematurely adjusted, not having gone through the necessary steps required for such adjustments. Therefore, we expect an immediate return to the previous fee structure.”
He further urged management of KBTH to undertake comprehensive institutional reforms to prevent such avoidable mistakes.
“It is imperative to establish robust structures and processes that guarantee transparency, accountability, and oversight within the hospital’s financial operations. This will not only enhance patient trust but also ensure that the hospital operates efficiently and effectively,” he said.
He called on government to work towards automating the exemptions regime for the procurement of health consumables and equipment to do away with the current system where health facilities are required to apply to the Minister responsible for Finance for duty waivers and exemptions for each import consignment.
“We will like to call on government to consider working assiduously to ensure equitable distribution of health resources and equipment such as dialysis machines across the country. We believe that in 2023, every district hospital should at the very least have one dialysis machine available to persons living within that district,” he stated.
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