President Akufo-Addo Inaugurates Ghana’s Largest Urology and Nephrology Centre

ACCRA: President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inaugurated a groundbreaking £38 million Urology and Nephrology Centre at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra. The facility, the largest of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa, is poised to significantly enhance healthcare delivery, particularly for urologic-related diseases prevalent among men aged 40 and older. According to Ghana News Agency, the centre features a thirty-one-suite dialysis station for kidney disorder patients and seventy beds for genito-urinary patients. It offers a comprehensive range of services, including outpatient care and serves as a resource for research into urology and nephrology. The centre encompasses various units such as outpatient, diagnostic and treatment, inpatient services, administration, a training room, and a management and technology center. During the inaugural ceremony, President Akufo-Addo emphasized that the construction of the facility, initiated in 2020, underscores the government's commitment to achieving unive rsal healthcare coverage in Ghana. He expressed confidence that the centre would strengthen KBTH's position as the country's largest health referral facility, enhancing its potential for medical tourism and revenue generation from neighboring countries. Urologic diseases involve conditions related to the filtering and elimination of urine from the body. While emergency urologic conditions are relatively common, they are rarely life-threatening, though prompt management is crucial to preventing severe complications. Common conditions include prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and erectile dysfunction, among others. Management at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital reported a rise of approximately 14,000 urologic cases at the Out-Patient Department (OPD) in 2023. The President urged the management to ensure the proper utilization and maintenance of the new facility. He also revealed that about 69 percent of projects under "Agenda 111," an initiative aimed at enhancing healthcare infrastructure, are nearing completion. Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye, Minister of Health, expressed optimism that the Centre would improve surgical care for urologic emergencies. Professor James E. Mensah, Head of the Urology Unit at KBTH, highlighted the need for increased investment in training urologists, noting that the current number of 78 urologists is inadequate given the rising incidence of urologic cases.