Ghanaian Politician Survives Kidney Disease, Warns Others

After six years tethered to a dialysis machine, former Ghanaian Member of Parliament Kojo Adu Asare is alive today because he refused to give up and found support when he needed it most.

The veteran politician from Adentan opened up on Asempa FM's morning show about his battle with end-stage kidney disease. His journey included weekly dialysis sessions costing 1,950 Ghana Cedis, a terrifying collapse that fractured his hip, and ultimately a successful kidney transplant that saved his life.

The physical toll nearly killed him three years ago. His blood pressure dropped suddenly after dialysis, and he collapsed at home, fracturing his hip in the fall.

"From afar, I was hearing 'daddy, daddy, daddy,'" he recalled. His house helper's quick action saved his life that day.

But Adu Asare chose to keep living fully despite the four-hour dialysis sessions starting at 7:00 am. He remained active in public life and on radio, refusing to let the disease define him.

"You only live once, and if you have to die, die a happy person," he told listeners. "I want to be actively doing something."

His message to other kidney patients was clear and urgent. Stop relying on unproven herbal remedies that often make kidney disease worse, not better.

"Once it gets to Stage Four, you are at end-stage," he warned. "You better seek proper medical care than to rely on concoctions."

Why This Inspires

Adu Asare's survival wasn't a solo journey. Former government ministers, political leaders from both parties, and business executives rallied around him with financial and emotional support.

His willingness to share his story publicly is breaking the silence around kidney disease in Ghana. The former MP's testimony is adding momentum to national debates about subsidizing dialysis care for patients who can't afford the mounting costs.

By speaking openly about both his struggle and his supporters, Adu Asare is showing other patients they don't have to face this disease alone.

His defiant spirit after six years of weekly treatments proves that even when the body needs a machine to survive, the human spirit can choose to thrive.