Dialysis treatment  more affordable from February
GUYANESE suffering from renal failure but without means can expect free  services from the Public Dialysis Centre, at Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH), from as early as February 2011. Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, made the announcement last week Thursday, noting that the offer has set Guyana on the trajectory to develop capacity to do routine kidney transplants.
He disclosed that the Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry, Mr. Hydar Ally, signed a contract recently for the initiative being undertaken in collaboration with Doobay Renal Charity Organisation, based in Toronto, Canada.
Ramsammy said construction of the Centre will be done at an estimated cost of $5M and three special chairs, two for routine use and one a back-up, are costing $2M each.
However, he said the real expense will be for the operations, estimated at between $16,000 and $18,000 per treatment.
Ramsammy said the building will be near the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) facility and work to construct it is not expected to cause any disruptions of services provided by the Blood Bank.
He said, at any one time, at least 200 Guyanese are at risk of dying because they suffer from renal failure and need dialysis.
Ramsammy applauded the 5G Dialysis Centre, at South Ruimveldt, also in the city, for being the first private facility to make the investment in support of renal failure patients. Its services are offered through a public/private partnership and are subsidised to the tune of $45,000.
He said the subsidies provided by the Government total between $5M and $10M, annually, which he called hefty, even for those who are fairly well off, as a patient requiring dialysis needs approximately 100 sessions a year, a $4.5M expenditure.
“5G filled a life and death vacuum,” Ramsammy acknowledged.
He said Balwant Singh Hospital later joined in the provision and established a clinic for the purpose.
“These services filled a void and provided for an absolute need,” Ramsammy noted, pointing out that, with the Public Dialysis Centre, capacity will be significantly increased.
He said the Centre will be able to cater for five persons at a time.

Specific standard
According to him, once the construction is completed and the installation of equipment done, there will be some microbiology work to ensure a specific standard of sanitation.
“This is a huge programme,” he remarked, stating that the service is not meant to replace that provided by other institutions but will improve the country’s capacity.
Ramsammy said, once the Centre is operational, the service will be extended to other regions over the next three years, in accordance with a plan in place.
He reminded, though, that dialysis only buys time and the patient will, eventually, need a new kidney.
In that context, Ramsammy said moves have to be made to solve the problems faced by patients on dialysis, primary of which is transplant.
He explained that the National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL) is capable of doing the necessary tests to facilitate kidney transplants.
Ramsammy said Guyana has set itself on that course but, until then, it is supported by various non-governmental organisations (NGOs), such as the Three Rivers Foundation, a charitable entity dedicated to helping sick children in Guyana whose parents are too poor to afford medical care.
He said Doobay Renal Charity Organisation is to open a five to eight chairs centre, to operate on a cost recovery basis.
“The charges will be only to cover costs. There will be no profit making,” Ramsammy assured.