Ministry of Health receives £10 000 for Dialysis Unit
By Melissa Bryant
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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| Federation's High Commissioner to London His Excellency Dr. James Williams (R) hands over cheque to Minister of Health Hon. Rupert Herbert. Seated (L) is Jacinth Henry-Martin, Member of Federation’s High Commission to London. |
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – USING funds raised from the 25th Anniversary Independence Ball in London last year (2008), the St. Kitts and Nevis Commission to England has donated £10 000 towards the purchase of a Haemodialysis Unit for the Joseph N. France Hospital.
The funds were presented to Minister of Health Hon. Rupert Herbert by the Federation’s High Commissioner to London, His Excellency Dr. James Williams, during an official handing-over ceremony yesterday morning (Jan. 12).
According to Williams, the choice of the Haemodialysis Unit as the beneficiary of the funds was due to various reasons, including the number of nationals who are forced to live abroad to access the treatment and the expansion of the local tourism product to include components such as the delivery of health tourism services.
He further stated his Commission and several national associations of St. Kitts and Nevis held several meetings in England and Wales to plan the Ball, which took place in October under the patronage of Prime Minister Denzil Douglas and raised £10 000.
Minister Herbert revealed that there is currently a Peritoneal Dialysis Unit at the JNF Hospital but the Ministry’s ultimate intention is to establish a Haemodialysis Unit. He deemed the establishment of a Haemodialysis Unit as “a well-known need” and “a priority the Ministry had been trying to address for some time now”.
However, Herbert was unable to state a timeline for the proposed creation of the Unit.“Dialysis is an ongoing treatment and the Ministry wants to ensure the continuity of the treatment that is offered. This continuity can only be achieved through trained personnel and the provision of adequate supplies,” he stressed, adding that the government had requested the services of a nephrologist from Cuba and that a nurse trained in dialysis treatment had recently returned to St. Kitts upon the completion of her studies in Taiwan. ~~Adz:Right~~
Statistics from the Joseph N. France Hospital indicate there are currently 24 persons within St. Kitts suffering from End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Patrick Martin has stated that the annual cost of dialysis ranges upward from EC$150 000.
“Taking into account the 16.5 million that was allotted to the Joseph N. France Hospital and the other medical centres for 2009, it can be conservatively estimated that the cost for dialysis treatment for these persons in need would amount to 20-25 percent of the budgeted figure,” he said.
Martin stressed that dialysis was not a cure and that the creation of the Haemodialysis Unit would require a substantial amount of funds.
“It’s not just about buying the machine; it’s also about purchasing catheters, the special fluid that is pumped through the patients and ensuring that the staff that runs the Unit is adequately compensated. In addition, we also have to maintain and upgrade the equipment regularly and ensure the fluid is dispensed in a sufficient and timely manner.
“That is why I am urging persons to adopt healthier lifestyles. Alcoholism, major muscle damage, hypertension and diabetes are all risk factors that can lead to ESRD. Persons must be aware of this so they can have healthier lives and not develop this debilitating disease.”
