The Ministry of Health has announced 105 hemodialysis patients will receive cheques valued at $600,000 each, to help subsidise their treatment expenses. Of the 105 beneficiaries, 51 are new patients.
The third payout exercise is valued at $63 million, commenced yesterday at the Ministry of Health on Brickdam. Stabroek. The first payout to 84 patients was done in February, whilst the to 62 patients was done in April.
$863 has been allocated in in Budget 2023 to support those in need of medical treatment.
Dr Frank Anthony, Minister of Health has made an appeal to the general public to get registered with the ministry if they require dialysis support. According to the Minister the process is very simple but requires verification and assessment of the patient’s condition at the Nephrology Department at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
“Once the doctor determines you have end-stage renal failure, he issues a letter to that effect which is verified by our physicians at the GPHC. A request is then prepared and the necessary documentation is prepared and presented to the Ministry of Health to get to process started”, Anthony explained.
The Health Minister highlighted that through close collaboration with private sector agencies, dialysis services have been expanded to Regions Two, Three, Four and Ten compared to previous years where patients requiring dialysis were forced to travel to the city to seek care and treatment.
If a person has Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), the kidneys are unable to filter the blood to remove harmful waste products and excess fluids which are turned into urine to be passed out of the body. Dialysis treatment then becomes an alternative procedure to remove waste products and excess fluids from the blood when the kidneys stop working properly. It is a process that involves diverting blood to a machine to be cleaned.
Persons requiring support for dialysis treatment can contact the Ministry’s Medical Treatment Department on 225-0113 for more information on how they can receive financial assistance.
