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Dialysis crisis: Teenage patient who appealed for support from government to pay bills passes on
A 15-year-old renal patient on dialysis at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, who appealed for support in an interview with JoyNews, has died.
The mother of the young girl, Priscilla Asante, revealed that her daughter passed away early Sunday at 1 a.m.
In an interview with JoyNews’ Richard Kwadwo Nyarko, Madam Ruth said that she saw her daughter, Priscilla, bloating on the day of her passing.
She added the doctor had informed her that this was an indication both kidneys of the young girl had failed.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsnight, on Wednesday, the headmaster of Mampong Catholic A Basic School, where Priscilla was a pupil, revealed that the young girl had been writing her third term examination prior to the tragedy.
Mr Francis Ampong said that the school had noted some unusual changes in Priscilla days before her passing and had sent her home to her parents.
He stated that there was a delay in sending her to the hospital immediately because her mother who was home at the time had no money.
However, they managed to send her to a local hospital and later the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital where she died days later.
Meanwhile, Priscialla’s mother noted that her daughter’s death came just a month after she started her dialysis treatment.
She said that had her daughter survived the family would have needed about GH¢1000 every week for her dialysis treatment.
Madam Ruth stated that in the short time period, the family has accumulated a lot of debt in their bid to help her daughter seek treatment.
She said that they still needed to pay the hospital about GH¢4000 to retrieve her daughter’s body for burial on Sunday.
Madam Ruth appealed to the government to reduce the cost of dialysis treatment so people from lower-income homes struggling with renal failure could afford it.
Priscilla’s death comes barely a day after her interview with JoyNews was aired.
The young Junior High School student revealed she had to miss classes and seek treatment at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital every week.
She shared her dream of wanting to become a nurse and hoped for a full recovery.
Priscilla had appealed to the public and the government to come to her and her family’s aid so they could pay for her dialysis treatment.
Background
The past weeks have witnessed a public outcry over the increase in the cost of dialysis – a regular medical treatment for persons with kidney failure in Ghana.
It follows reports of the increased cost of dialysis per session for those with kidney conditions by over 100% at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
The cost of dialysis per session at the hospital was increased from GH¢380.00 to GH¢765.42.
While some health facilities are yet to adjust their costs, regular dialysis is a headache for many who are unable to afford it resulting in the death of many patients.
In a press conference on Monday, the Renal Patients Association of Ghana, comprised of individuals with kidney conditions, disclosed that fourteen of its members passed away between May and September while at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
The association attributed this to a shortage of consumables at the facility, resulting in a limitation of dialysis services to only emergency cases.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
