Parliament: Not enough dialysis centres

I do hope that there will be a better way to deal with these shortages. Whenever I read anything relating to kidney end-stage failure I become sad. Not everybody can afford such treatment and the Health Ministry can't be everywhere at once.

I wonder how my friend is doing?

Parliament: Not enough dialysis centres

By LEE YUK PENG

KUALA LUMPUR: The 132 dialysis centres under the Health Ministry are insufficient for 17,367 kidney patients diagnosed with end-stage failure who need to go for dialysis treatment, said deputy minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad.

Replying to Liang Teck Meng (BN - Simpang Renggam) in Parliament, Dr Abdul Latiff said the 132 dialysis centres comprising 1,836 machines can only provide dialysis treatment to 5,000 patients.

Dr Abdul Latiff said the Government works with non-governmental organisations like the Lions Club, Rotary Club and others, as well as the private sector which has a total of 186 centres with 1,787 machines to provide dialysis treatment to 6,000 patients.

He said the ratio of dialysis machines to renal failure patients is currently one to five.

“Government hospitals also have portable dialysis machines for those who can’t be at the dialysis units,” he said.

Dialysis

I just got back from visiting a friend who is undergoing dialysis treatment. When he showed me the areas on his body poked and prodded, I felt sick and sad.

I felt sick because of the dehumanization that he has to endure in order to prolong his life. I can't imagine being in a situation where my kidneys failing and heavily dependent on machines to keep me alive.

My friend looked so fragile. I remember back in 1999, he was the fittest among his peers and looked good with his muscles bulging. Then suddenly in 2004 his kidneys failed him. Now his undergoing dialysis.

The treatment is expensive but then again, aren't they all?

He needs money to keep going.

When the money ends, he ends too.

That's why I felt sad.

His advice to me is to drink lots of water.

He also told me to lose weight... but that's another post altogether!

I started thinking on ways how we can rectify this problem within our society. Perhaps since I'm in an NGO we might be able to help organize a fundraising in aid of dialysis research in order to keep the cost low. Refer to link below;

Cost Effectiveness Evaluation of the Ministry of Health Malaysia ...

Anyway, this topic will be expanded upon later. For now, all I can say that our friend is being positive and time to time I'll drop by over his place/phone just to see how he's doing.

I'm now finding myself appreciating life each day for it is so short. There's so much to do in so little time. We should make the most of living life. 

More on this next time. Meanwhile please check out Living With Dialysis