The Dialysis Unit in Shillong Civil Hospital is gasping for air as the number of patients has increased considerably ever since it started in 2017.
The recent breakdown of the Reverse Osmosis plant that purifies water for dialysis treatments to ensure patients receive safe and clean water, may not be able to cater to patients due to the load, even though it was restored.
Medical Specialist in-charge of the Dialysis Unit, Dr. Katherina Marbañiang informed that in 2017 the unit conducted the procedure on 45 patients and finished 480 cycles. She said as years passed, the hospital is now overloaded with 2884 patients.
She said that the hospital can render whatever services it can but urged patients to visit other hospitals as they are also offer coverage to patients under the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS). Patients can also opt for home dialysis, she added.
Dr Marbañiang said that the Dialysis Unit functions for almost 24 hours which has become difficult for the hospital to run the machine.
Surgeon Superintendent and Joint Director DHS, Dr. L Buhphang said “As of now out of the six machines that we are having only four is functioning,”
The unit has only seven staff nurses, four dialysis technicians, four fourth grade employees, two in-charge nurses, one Medical Officer and one Medical Specialist In-charge.
Dr Buhphang said the issue was taken up with Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh who visited the hospital on May 13 and assured that the Dialysis unit will be strengthened.
He said that the hospital authorities informed the Health Minister that they are adding two more rooms to create more space for the dialysis bed.
“But from the MHIS fund we cannot undertake so much burden for civil work,” he added.
