A new Haemodialysis Unit has been inaugurated, today, at the New Souillac Hospital, by the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal. This Unit will henceforth comprise 22 haemodialysis machines and will be able to accommodate some 132 to 150 patients.
In his address, Minister Jagutpal highlighted that the inauguration of the Haemodialysis Unit coincides with World Kidney Day 2022. The Day, he said, aims to raise awareness on the importance of our kidneys for our overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.
He indicated that in Mauritius, some 1,500 patients undergo dialysis treatment in the five Regional Hospitals, the New Souillac Hospital, the Long Mountain Hospital, and Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Rodrigues. With the increasing number of patients undergoing dialysis treatment, the Ministry of Health and Wellness also works in collaboration with private clinics to accommodate more patients, he added.
Dr Jagutpal recalled that in 2021, Government disbursed some Rs 150 million to enable 250 patients to undergo dialysis treatment in private clinics. He insisted on the adoption of a healthy lifestyle and appealed to the public to take advantage of the numerous sports facilities put at their disposal across the country as well as to eat healthy and refrain from drinking alcohol and smoking.
Speaking about the numerous projects aimed at enhancing renal health, Dr Jagutpal underlined that they will be implemented in the months and years to come. They include: opening of a Renal Transplant Unit and a new Haemodialysis Unit equipped with 50 machines at Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital in Rose Belle; extension of the Haemodialysis Unit at Candos Hospital to the tune of some Rs 15,5 million; and setting up of a New Haemodialysis Unit at SSRN Hospital where 50 machines will be installed.
He added that the New Flacq Hospital, which is under construction, will also be equipped with 50 dialysis machines and the Bel Air Mediclinic 10 machines. Furthermore, the Ministry of Health and Wellness is continuously replacing dialysis machines which date more than 10 years, he said. Staffs are also being trained and the Mauritius Institute of Health is offering courses in nephrology to nurses, he added.
According to him, this Haemodialysis Unit at the New Souillac Hospital will greatly benefit the patients of the region as well as their families.
World Kidney Day 2022
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common and harmful. One out of 10 adult people worldwide have it, and if left untreated it can be deadly. While early detection allows for disease care and management to help prevent morbidity and mortality, and improve cost effectiveness and sustainability, kidney disease related mortality continues to increase yearly and is projected to be the fifth leading cause of death by 2040.
The theme this year is “Kidney Health for All”. The aim is to work to bridge the knowledge gaps to better kidney care. The 2022 campaign will focus on efforts to increase education and awareness about kidney health and on reducing the stubbornly high CKD knowledge gap at all levels of kidney care.
