News
Speaker Bagbin commissions expanded dialysis unit in Wa
Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has commissioned an expanded dialysis unit at the Upper West Regional Hospital in Wa to improve access to kidney treatment for people in northern Ghana.
The project, estimated to cost about GH¢4 million, was undertaken in partnership with Sustainable Health Education and Interventions Limited (SHEILD), the Upper West Parliamentary Caucus, the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service and other development partners.
The new facility was inaugurated on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, in Wa. It adds six dialysis machines, supporting equipment and staff training to strengthen renal care services at the hospital.
According to the Parliamentary Service, the expansion is expected to reduce the burden on patients with chronic kidney disease who previously travelled long distances to Accra, Kumasi and other major cities for dialysis treatment.
Commissioning the facility, Mr Bagbin described the project as an important investment in healthcare equity and social justice.
He noted that many families in the Upper West Region struggle to access specialist kidney care because of distance and cost.
“The people of the Upper West deserve to live with dignity. We deserve access to quality healthcare,” he stated, adding that the facility would bring treatment closer to patients and their families.
He commended SHEILD and the other partners for supporting the project and called for continued collaboration to improve specialist healthcare services across the country.
Board Director of SHEILD, Dr Sylvie Anie, indicated that the organisation remained committed to addressing critical healthcare gaps through sustainable interventions.
She explained that the expanded dialysis unit represented hope for patients who had struggled for years to obtain specialised kidney treatment.
Another Board Director of SHEILD, Dr John Nkrumah Mills, stressed that sustainable healthcare required investment in people, systems, partnerships and continuous capacity building.
He noted that the project demonstrated what could be achieved when institutions worked together to improve patient care.
Medical Director of the Upper West Regional Hospital, Dr Philip K. K. Baabiineh, stated that the expanded unit would significantly improve the hospital’s ability to provide comprehensive renal care.
He observed that many patients previously had limited treatment options and often travelled under difficult conditions to receive dialysis.
The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, described the project as consistent with government’s efforts to expand specialist healthcare services and reduce regional disparities in access to treatment.
He encouraged stronger partnerships between government, private organisations, development partners and healthcare institutions to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
The Parliamentary Service stated that chronic kidney disease was becoming a major public health challenge in Ghana, driven by increasing cases of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and late diagnosis.
It noted that access to dialysis services remained uneven, with most treatment centres concentrated in Accra and Kumasi, while many patients in northern Ghana faced high transport costs and long waiting times.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by government officials, traditional leaders, Members of Parliament, healthcare professionals, development partners, civil society organisations and community representatives.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Management and staff of Owass FM have announced the passing of media personality, comedian and politician Seth Kwame Dzokoto following a medical emergency during a live morning show discussion at the station earlier today.
According to the station, Dzokoto was participating in a panel discussion on its morning show “Oman Nkoso” when he suddenly took ill and collapsed.
A statement from the station said its team immediately rushed him to the hospital for medical attention, but he was pronounced dead by the attending medical doctor upon arrival.
“We are deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident, which occurred in the course of our regular programming. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, loved ones, colleagues, and all those who have been affected by his passing,” the statement said.
Management acknowledged that information about the incident is already circulating in the public domain, but appealed to the public and colleague media houses to respect the privacy of the bereaved family and refrain from circulating unverified information or speculation regarding the circumstances of his death.
Owass FM extended its heartfelt condolences to the family of Seth Kwame Dzokoto.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The State through the Attorney General (AG) has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court challenging the suspension of the trial in the case of The Republic v Hanan Aludiba and Faiza Seidu.
On Monday, the Court of Appeal suspended the trial in the case. But the prosecution says it has filed an appeal against the suspension order.
According to the update, the law does not allow a criminal trial to be suspended simply because an accused person has complained about some of the charges on the charge sheet, particularly when those complaints were dismissed as meritless.
It argues that if the Court of Appeal’s decision is allowed to stand, no prosecution will ever be possible, since all it would take for a trial to be suspended is an accused person complaining about anything on the charge sheet.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
