The knee is one of the important body parts of the human body system. It helps in our day to day activities like walking, running, bending, & many more. There is a possibility that during these activities the knee is damaged. These injuries cause knee pain and it affects our day to day life. This can be cured through the process, known as knee replacement surgery where doctors remove the injured knee joints with the artificial ones. According to studies, approx 70% of Ghanaian adults face knee injuries in their life. Ghana is one of the best countries in Africa for knee replacement surgery for their athletes. In this blog, we are going to discuss knee replacement surgery, cost of knee replacement treatment in Ghana, and many more. We request you to stay tuned at the end for more information.
What is Knee Replacement Surgery?
Knee replacement surgery is a process in which orthopedic surgeons remove the damaged bone and the ligament of the knee joint. It replaces the damaged knee joint with artificial implants. These implants are made of hard plastic, ceramic and metals.
During the surgery, first of all the doctor gives you the dose of anaesthesia to numb your body below the waist. After that they performed the operation and removed the damaged knee joint and replaced it with the new ones.
Types of Knee Replacement Surgery
Certainly there are two types of knee replacement surgery such as total knee replacement and partial knee replacement. Both of them are described below:
- Total Knee Replacement: TKR is a surgical process where doctors remove the damage bone and the ligament of the knee joint and replace it with the prosthesis. These prothesis are made of plastic as well as ceramic.
- Partial Knee Replacement: Partial arthroplasty is a medical process in which the orthopedic surgeon removes only some damaged parts of the knee joint and replaces it with artificial implants. The implants are generally made of metal or ceramic.
Cost of Knee Replacement Treatment in Ghana
The cost of knee replacement treatment in Ghana ranges between GHS 20,000 to GHS 80,000 or ($1,800 to $7,200). It includes all the important tests before the surgery, recovery program and many more. The complete information about the cost breakdown is listed below:
- Pre-Operative & Consultation: Costs between GHS 500 to GHS 2,000 or ($45 to $180).
- Surgery & Hospital: Charges between GHS 5,000 to GHS 20,000 or ($450 to $1,800).
- Implant: Costs between GHS 10,000 to GHS 45,000 or ($900 to $4100).
- Medicines: Charges between GHS 200 to GHS 1,000 or ($18 to $90).
- Rehab Program: Costs between GHS 2,000 to GHS 5,000 or ($180 to $450).
Factors Influencing the Cost of Knee Replacement Treatment in Ghana
There are so many factors that affect the cost of knee replacement in Ghana such as, types of surgery, implants used during the surgery, experience of the surgeons, & many more. For more information about the factors please pay the attention below:
- Type of Surgery: It is the most important to know whether you need total knee replacement or partial knee replacement. After that, you decide which surgery is required for you. However, the cost of total knee replacement is much higher than the partial knee replacement.
- Types of Implants: It is one of the important things in the process of knee replacement surgery. The cost of metal implants is higher than the cost of implants like ceramic or plastic.
- Surgeons Experience: Those doctors who are highly qualified and trained at the international stage charge more than the less experienced surgeons. It does not affect only the cost but overall success of the surgery.
- Types of Hospital: Knee replacement surgery is available in both government and private hospitals, but the difference is the approach and the technologies used in the surgery. However, the cost of knee replacement surgery in private hospitals is much costlier than in government hospitals.
Cost Comparison Between Ghana and Other Countries for Knee Replacement Surgery
Different countries have different prices for the knee replacement surgery, for example the cost of knee replacement surgery in India is higher than the cost of knee replacement surgery in Kenya. Full information about the cost comparison is listed below:
| Countries | Price in Local Currency | Price in USD |
| India | INR 4,00,000 to INR 10,00,000 | $5000 to $10,000 |
| Ethiopia | 77800 BR to 1089800 BR | $5,000 to $7,000 |
| Ghana | GHS 20,000 to GHS 80,000 | $1,800 to $7,200 |
| Kenya | KSH 5,00,000 to KSH 10,00,000 | $3,800 to $7,750 |
| Saudi Arabia | 37000 SAR to 1,05,000 SAR | $10000 to $28000 |
| Thailand | ฿2,50,000 to ฿5,00,000 | $8,000 to $16,000 |
| Bangladesh | 200,000 BDT to 600,000 BDT | $1600 to $4,900 |
| Oman | 5,000 OMR to 10,000 OMR | $13,000 to $26,000 |
| Iran | 6,435,000,000 IRR to 10,725,000,000 IRR | $6,000 to $10,000 |
| Bahrain | 5650 BD to 7900 BD | $15,000 to $21,000 |
| Pakistan | 4,00,000 PKR to 6,00,000 PKR | $1,300 to $2,000 |
| Turkey | ₺1,70,700 to ₺4,30,200 | $4,000 to $10,000 |
What Makes Ghana One of the Best Countries for Knee Replacement Surgery?
Ghana is becoming a preferable option for knee replacement surgery within Africa due to a combination of developing surgical capacity and improving outcomes. While they are not globally ranked yet at the level of some Western and Asian countries. There are so many factors that attract the patients to Ghana, especially the African patients. Because Ghana is more cost effective country compared to European and North American countries. Some of the factors that make Ghana one of the best countries for knee replacement:
Higher Success Rate
According to studies, Ghana has a very good success rate in knee replacement surgery, and the number is around 90%. This shows the satisfaction and trust towards the surgeons and the hospitals of Ghana. It is one of the best countries for knee replacement surgery in Africa.
Cost-Effective
Ghana is one of the low and cost-effective countries in terms of medical field. The cost of knee replacement surgery in Ghana is very low as compared to countries like Nigeria, Tanzania, Libya, and many more.
Quality Orthopedic Centre
Ghana has so many quality orthopedic centre who uses advanced medical technology to treat the knee victims. However, the charges of these orthopedic centre is very low as compared to other countries.
Experienced and Trained Orthopedic Surgeons
Many orthopedic surgeons in Ghana receive international training. They receive training and certifications from international institutions in countries like the USA, Singapore, Germany, etc. They are highly qualified and skillful surgeons who treat the patients with ease.
Difficulties Faced by Ghanaian People for Knee Replacement Surgery in Ghana
As we know Ghana is one of the developing countries worldwide who are trying to develop their expertise in the medical field and technology. Knee replacement surgery is available in Ghana but in larger cities. People who live in smaller cities are facing difficulties with knee replacement surgery. They have to travel to larger cities for the surgery or for basic medical facilities. Some of the major difficulties facing by the people of Ghana are:
- Limited number of Orthopedic specialities.
- Lack of availability of health insurance companies and financial support.
- Lack of medical infrastructure and medical technology.
To get rid of this problem most of the patients choose to travel abroad for the surgery. As they generally travelled to India or Turkey because they have advanced medical infrastructure and technology, shorter waiting time and excellent medical care facilities.
Conclusion
Ghana is one of the developing countries in the world and they are still developing their expertise in medical infrastructure and technology. As per the reports most of the adults of Ghana facing knee injuries due to high impact activities. To get relief from the injuries and pain knee replacement is the best option for them. Ghana has the availability of knee replacement orthopedic centres and the cost of these centres is very high compared to other countries. In this blog, we mentioned all the important information about knee replacement, cost of knee replacement in Ghana, difficulties facing by the people of Ghana and many more. We hope this blog is helpful for you and you can plan knee surgery wisely and confidently. Thanks for staying till the end.