— govt working to increase access to medical care, says Lawrence

GOVERNMENT is working to reduce the financial burden on persons living with damaged kidneys and to increase their access to medication and care.
This is according to Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, who spoke at a health walk for World Kidney Day on Sunday.

The walk saw the collaboration of the Public Health Ministry; the Chronic Disease Unit; the Kidney Foundation of Guyana and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
Starting at Parade Ground, a number of persons marched along Water Street, Church Street, Irving Street, Lamaha Street and finally to the dialysis centre at the GPHC where a small ceremony was held.

It was relayed that kidney failure can only be addressed through dialysis or transplant. Kidney failure can distort the life plan of victims who, post-diagnosis, are no long able to function as they once did at work, school or play.

Apart from the physical disadvantage, Lawrence reminded the gathering that patients and their relatives can often be affected emotionally and financially.
To assist, over the years, the government has been providing $360,000 and more in yearly funds to individual patients.

However, Lawrence believes that more can be done which is why, over the last 18 months, she has been examining ways in which more can be done.

“We have, last year, put in the newspaper an ad for expression of interest so that we can be able to work with private partners to offer dialysis not only at the Georgetown Hospital when you come in but to have walk-in clinics in Regions Two, Three, Six and Ten,” she said.

She added: “We believe that if we can have the services provided in those regions that we’ll be able to meet more persons and have them extend the monies that are presently given to them.”

Recently, Lawrence also met with all providers of dialysis to receive feedback on why the cost for such is increasing.
“They outlined to me that in most instances, the cost which they ask of patients doesn’t really give them a big profit or a profit at all,” she said.

DUTY-FREE PROPOSAL
“I have written to the Minister [of Finance] asking that all of the medication; all of the items used for dialysis to be duty-free and I’m quite certain that that will have a great impact on the cost of dialysis.”
Added to this, Public Health Ministry has sought out the assistance of its partners to provide a two-year supply of items needed for treatment which will be given to institutions providing the service.
Her announcement was met with the applause of many in the audience who understand the

challenges of persons with kidney complications.
General practitioner in the GPHC Transplant Department, Dr. Kevon Tracey encouraged citizens break the culture of waiting until they are very ill before visiting the doctor.
Kidney failure, he noted, is a “hidden endemic” which often sees its first three stages going undetected.

“We need to ensure that we go to the hospital and get regular checkups,” he encouraged.
“You can have kidney failure and not show any symptoms. The only way for us to know that is to go check ourselves; do blood tests, especially if you’re hypertensive or diabetic as those are the leading causes of kidney failure.”
Meanwhile, Social Worker Telecia Dazziel spoke to the participants about the support available to patients and their families.

“Kidney failure, kidney transplant, the entire procedure cannot be done by the patient alone. It is a collective effort with yourself; your friends and your family. Your primary caregiver will also need support and that is where the social worker comes in. When it becomes too overwhelming for you and even your family, you offload on me.”
Representative of the Kidney Foundation, Dr. Arefah Aladin, also spoke to the gathering about the services available at the foundation while two dialysis patients give an account of the past or present experience with kidney failure.
World Kidney Day is a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF).