Keonjhar: The Odisha government has been providing free dialysis to all patients in its hospitals across the state for years. But the lack of essential facilities at the dialysis centre in Keonjhar district headquarters hospital (DHH) has affected patients.
The non-availability of chemicals, injections and water compounded with the unhygienic conditions at the hospital are creating problems for patients, sources said.
The dialysis machine removes waste products from the blood of patients with kidney-related ailments. It also helps to maintain proper levels of electrolytes and minerals in the blood. For the procedure, purified water is imperative whereas during power outages the hospital is unable to provide purified water as it does not have pumps. This is dangerous for patients as dialysis stops midway during power outages.
There is need for more beds and rooms in the hospital so that patients with kidney ailments can take rest. But the ward has only 10 beds.
During dialysis kidney patients lose some blood. To counter this problem the hospital has to provide haemoglobin injections to the patients twice a week. But now patients have to purchase this injection from outside by spending Rs 700. As the poor patients cannot do this they suffer.
The patients said that dialysis have to be conducted in the ICU to ensure stability in the heartbeats of patients. But there is no ICU at this hospital. As the hospital is conducting dialysis without ICU facility there is a chance that patients may face danger during dialysis. Patients are demanding that the government should provide the required facilities at the hospital.
The DHH’s assistant divisional medical officer (ADMO) Guruprasad Mishra said they will assess the problems at the hospital and meet the requirements of the dialysis centre.
PNN