Mumbai: St George Hospital to start dialysis service

Mumbai: The state-run Saint George Hospital has decided to start a dialysis service centre to benefit the patients. The service will come into effect soon as the facility's hemodialysis department has begun its work. Earlier, the patients requiring dialysis treatment used to be transferred to the civic-run hospitals Sion, KEM and Nair.

A senior official from the state health department said that the treatment will be free of cost and will be available for hospitalised patients.

12 dialysis machines to be operational by next week

Initially, ten machines will be installed, which will reduce the waiting hours of the patients who are in urgent need of dialysis. However, a total of 12 machines will be made available by the next week. Few of the machines will be reserved for COVID patients.

Service will be provided under Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Arogya Yojna

Medical Superintendent Dr Vinayak Sawardekar said the service will be provided under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana so that patients do not have to spend much on dialysis.

“30 patients will be dialysed daily on 10 machines. If the number of patients increases, more machines will be added to existing ones,” he said.

Special Committee for prioritising patients

Dr Sawardekar added, “A special committee will be constituted for the dialysis facility to prioritise every patient. The committee will also keep a record of the processes.”

Dean JJ Group of Hospital Dr Pallavi Sapele said, “We will also start the dialysis service by next week. With this initiative, needy patients will get their treatment done at the right time.”

Meanwhile, health experts termed it a helpful initiative, undertaken to help poor patients.