32-year-old Gilbert Ayine, a native of Bolgatanga, capital of the Upper East Region, has died at the regional hospital after there was a delay in transporting him to the Tamale Teaching Hospital in the Northern Region for treatment following diagnosis by doctors that he was suffering from kidney disease and required dialysis services.
The deceased was referred to the Tamale Teaching Hospital for dialysis treatment as such services are unavailable in the Upper East Region.
But the family led by his elder brother, who said the condition drained them financially, were unable to transport him to Tamale due to lack of funds, resulting in the young man losing his life on Sunday, January 21.
Gilbert’s death comes at a time authorities are feverishly working to have a dialysis centre that has been established following contributions from the general public operationalized.
It also comes at a time doctors have revealed that 60% of patients receiving dialysis treatment at the Tamale Teaching Hospital are from the Upper East Region.
A break down of the data, according to Dr. Emmanuel Akatibo, suggests 40% of the 60%, who are being cared for at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, are from the Bawku zone.
Interestingly, many young people are said to running into crisis with their kidneys, a situation that requires more attention and research into.
Prior to Gilbert’s death, his elder brother Johnson Asampana, had made a public appeal for support through Dreamz FM.
Mr. Asampana, who confirmed his death, believes his brother would not have lost his life if he had access to dialysis treatment.
“If he had gotten to Tamale he would have survived. But because of the lack funds that caused the delay and he passed away. Though we know that sometimes money cannot save a life, but in some situations, money helps in saving a life,” he stated.
Physician specialist at the Upper East Regional Hospital Dr. Emmanuel Akatibo, who attended to Gilbert, says the hospital would have immediately put him on treatment while giving the family some grace period to mobilize resources to clear the bill if such services were available.
“We could’ve mobilized and do it for him and give the family that opportunity to go and have a discussion to see whether it is something they can mobilize and sustain him. But unfortunately, that wasn’t available so thinking having to mobilize money to get an ambulance and the cost of the initial service was something that was so difficult”.
