Mysuru: Shortage of dialysis units hits poor rural patients hard in three districts

Mysuru: The State government has set up dialysis units in all the taluk hospitals for the benefit of poor kidney patients in rural areas.

But the facility is too inadequate to meet the needs of all patients owing to a shortage of dialysis beds in Mysuru, Chamarajanagara and Mandya districts. For instance, Mysuru district has only 45 dialysis beds in seven taluk hospitals. Similarly, Mandya district has 57 dialysis beds in seven taluk centers and Chamarajanagara just 11 in five taluk centres.

The shortage of beds is causing interminable problems to the patients from rural areas. In Mysuru district, 5,400 dialysis patients are availing themselves of the facility in four shifts per month while more than 2,000 patients are left high and dry. The state of affairs in Hunsur taluk hospital is no different.

Only three machines are available for12 patients to undergo dialysis per day while there are no beds for seven patients.

A patient normally requires dialysis twice a week. In case of severe problem, a kidney patient needs dialysis 3-4 times a week.

Speaking to this reporter, Nagina (45), a daily-wage worker in Hunsur said that she cannot afford to go to a private hospital for dialysis. She has been waiting for her turn for 10 days. This poor woman has been suffering from kidney ailment for the past 10 years. Nagina has appealed to the State government to install more dialysis beds so that poor patients can survive.

When contacted, Mysuru district health officer Dr A M Prakash said that it has come to his notice that patients are queuing for dialysis. He said he has already sent a proposal to State health department to increase the number of beds in taluk hospitals.

According to Dr Prakash, there has been a delay in installing more dialysis units due to the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic .