GhanaWeb Feature By Bernice Owusuwaa


Have you ever lost a dear friend, family or loved one to kidney disease?

The survival of a person battling kidney disease in Ghana is dependent on the financial capacity of the individual. This is because the cost of treatment for both an acute or chronic kidney failure disease is very expensive for the average Ghanaian.

Speaking to GhanaWeb in a recent report, Dr Mensah Amoah, a nephrologist at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital revealed that the disease which is killing young people between the ages of 20-40, is largely due to the costs incurred during the treatment process.

"It is very expensive for the average Ghanaian. Even me, if I have kidney failure, it will be very expensive for me to sustain dialysis. Each section of dialysis cost about GH¢325, and you need at least 3 for each week. So the dialysis alone, that is about GH¢1000.

So in a month, thus 4 weeks, that will be about GH¢4000. You also need medications to boost your blood level up. You need BP medications...If you add all those extra costs, then you will need about GH¢5-6000 every month. The average Ghanaian cannot afford it."

Click here for the full story

What happens to the poor person whose parents are just farmers and traders and are not in the position to afford the cost of treatment?

GhanaWeb in our latest special series, puts the spotlight on William Bortey, a 26-year-old man, suffering from a chronic kidney failure disease.

William, who has been battling this disease since January 2020 chronicled how he was diagnosed with the disease and the financial burden it has had on his family.

Speaking to GhanaWeb's Bernice Owusuwaa in the exclusive interview, William explained that in 2015, due to a strain in the relationship with his sister, which affected him psychologically, he was diagnosed with High Blood pressure.

In the effort of trying to solve this medical condition, in his way, he resorted to the use of herbal medicines but that only aggravated his current condition.

Five years down the line, without no symptoms, doctors informed him in January 2020 that both his kidneys have been damaged following a visit to the hospital after a short illness.

His mother, who is a peasant farmer and trader by profession, has been forced to quit her job to care for her son, whose life is now solely dependent on a dialysis machine.

Mrs Bortey told GhanaWeb that, they are dependent on assistance from friends, family and loved ones to be able to go for the dialysis twice every week. Due to their poor financial background, they are sometimes forced to starve to save the little gifted to them.

William who used to work in a CCTV installation company before his current health condition aspires to be a businessman in the future and prays to recover by undergoing kidney transplant surgery which will cost GH¢160,000 in India.

He is, therefore, pleading with the general public and NGOs to support him financially. To help save him kindly donate to his MOMO details below:

Account Name: Bortey William

Account: MTN

MOMO Number: 0242746115

Watch the full video below: