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| Sunday, 30 June 2002 |
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Sharp increase in cases of kidney failures by Shanika Sriyananda Liyanage Over 1,300 cases of kidney failure detected while nearly 1,500 people with chronic kidney failure die annually, Health Ministry sources revealed. According to health experts, prime cause for the alarming increase in kidney failure was attributed to negligence in treatment of minor ailments which lead later to kidney failures. On the other hand the number of deaths due to CKF chronic cases were due to lack of proper treatment due to financial constraints and lack of facilities at various hospitals. " Majority of patients, who suffer CKF, were from very poor families in remote areas, without dialysis treatment at government hospitals", hospital sources said. There are only 45 dialysis machines to treat over 1,500 patients in government and at private hospitals. Over 250 more machines are needed. Meanwhile, the Kidney Patients Welfare Association (KPWA), which is armed with five dialysis machines, request the public to join hands with them in their endeavour to build a dialysis unit at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Kalubowila. Chairperson of KPWA Ms. Jennet Gunasekara said that the Association needs over Rs. 2 million to build the unit which they hope to develop into a kidney transplant unit later. " We need to use this unit for patients who suffer from acute kidney failure and by doing this, they will not reach for CKF level which is difficult to treat", she said. According to her, the unit will be used to train undergraduates and postgraduate students in collaboration with the University of Sri Jayawardenapura. " There is a dearth of specialists in this field and we need to train them as quickly as possible", she said. " We have collected Rs. 4 lakhs by holding consumer fairs and from donations, but we need more to make the dream a reality", Gunasekara added. Those who wish to contribute who recruit to the Account No. 654889001 of the Seylan Bank, Mount Lavinia branch or for more details Tel: 714923. |
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