200 more dialysis machines for government hospitals in state

The state government is supplying a total of 200 Modern Dialysis machines to 23 Government Medical College Hospitals including Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH). The other hospitals in the city will include Stanley Medical College and Hospital, Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital, and the Government Royapettah Hospital, Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital at Omandurar Government Estate and the Institute of Child Health and Hospital (ICH), Egmore. 

Machines will also be supplied to the Government Medical College Hospitals at Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Chengalpattu, Kanyakumari, Karur, Madurai, Pudukkottai, Salem, Sivagangai, Thanjavur, Tiruvannamalai, Thiruvarur, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tiruchirappalli, Vellore and Villupuram at a cost of Rs 8.50 crore.

Besides, the government is also supplying machines to 40 Government Hospitals at a cost of Rs.8.73 crore and three Upgraded Primary Health Centres located in hilly areas of Pudurnadu in Vellore district, Kariyalur in Villupuram district and Jammunamathur in Tiruvannamali district at a cost of Rs 27 lakh.

“Kidney failure is a condition where the organ can no longer filter out urea, mineral salt, toxins and other waste from the blood. The only option for most of the patients in this case is dialysis, until they undergo renal transplant – which is a permanent solution,” said Nephrologist Dr Anna V. 

“There are 33 dialysis machines already functioning at the RGGGH and we are being supplied with 16 more,” said Dr R Jayanthi, Dean of the hospital.

Stating that until recently there was no facility at the Government Hospital in Tiruvannamalai, Dr Jayanthi said, “Now, over 50 cases of dialysis are performed on a daily basis.” 

Chronic renal ailments are among the most common diseases seen among many in the state today and a large per cent of the patients suffering from such ailments, from rural parts of the state would be forced to go to Chennai or the neighbouring states for treatment.