Former MP for Adentan, Kojo Adu Asare, has lifted the veil on his gruelling six-year struggle with end-stage renal disease, with advice to other patients.

The veteran politician, known for his stoic demeanour, revealed that his life had been tethered to a dialysis machine for six years and subsequently underwent a transplant to survive.

His testimony on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen on Friday, 15 May 2026, offered a harrowing look at the physical, psychological, and financial toll of a health crisis that is increasingly claiming lives across the country.

The financial burden: GH₵8,000 monthly on dialysis alone

Mr Adu Asare disclosed the staggering financial burden of staying alive. With the cost of a single dialysis session currently pegged at GH₵650, and a medical requirement of three sessions per week, the former lawmaker pays approximately GH₵1,950 every seven days.

“Dialysis is crazy. For the past six years, it’s been constant. Every week, it is ₵1,950. At one point it was ₵450, then ₵550, and now it’s ₵650. Every two years, there is a price hike,” he told host Philip Osei Bonsu (OB).

Over the span of six years, this equates to hundreds of thousands of Ghana Cedis, a figure that would crush most ordinary families.

The financial burden does not end there, with expensive medications, a series of tests and other medical expenses.

A Near-Fatal "Blackout"

The physical toll is equally devastating. Mr Adu Asare recounted a terrifying incident three years ago that nearly ended his life. Following an exhausting dialysis session, he suffered a sudden drop in blood pressure and collapsed at home.

“I fractured my hip. My BP dropped, and that was it. I went off. My house helper was the one who saved me... from afar, I was hearing ‘daddy, daddy, daddy.’ Then I woke up and tried to get up, but I couldn't.”

The resulting hip fracture forced him to employ a full-time driver, as he could no longer safely navigate the demands of driving while managing the post-dialysis fatigue that "weakens the system".

The Danger of "Concoctions"

In a passionate plea to the public, the former MP warned against the use of unproven herbal remedies for kidney ailments, which he says often accelerate the transition to "End-Stage" failure.

“Once it gets to Stage Four, you are at end-stage. You are stuck. There is no way to reverse anything. You better seek proper medical care than to rely on [herbal] concoctions; you can’t worsen the situation. A man can tell you all manner of stories, but you will end up in an emergency room.”

Defying the Shadow of Death

Despite the four-hour sessions that begin as early as 7:00 am, Mr Adu Asare has remained active in public life and on the radio. He explained that his refusal to "glorify pain" is a conscious choice to maintain his dignity and mental health.

“I’m not the type who wants to glorify pain and sorrow. You only live once, and if you have to die, die a happy person. Don’t be a miserable person; don’t die a miserable death. I want to be actively doing something,” he stated.

As the interview concluded, he remained defiant, noting that while the machine may keep his body going, his spirit refuses to sit down.

He was grateful to several people who had supported him, including former Roads Minister Amoako Attah, former Minister for Health Dr Bernard Okoe-Boye, 2026 NPP flagbearer candidate Dr Bryan Acheampong, former lands minister Samuel Abu Jinapor, finance minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Chief of Staff Julius Debrah and the presidency, former NDC chairman Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Goldbod CEO Sammy Gymafi, former EPA boss Dr Henry Kwabena Kokofu, MP for Sekondi Andrew Egyapa Mercer and the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) Albert Kwadwo Twum Boafo.

His story adds significant weight to the ongoing national debate regarding the high cost of renal care and the urgent need for a sustainable subsidy for all dialysis patients in Ghana.

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Kojo Adu Asare shares his six-year battle with kidney disease and GH₵2000 weekly dialysis costs

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