SRIKAKULAM: People suffering from chronic kidney diseases (CKD) have to wait for months for treatment due to the lack of beds at the dialysis centre in Sompeta, which treats the highest number of CKD patients after Srikakulam Dialysis Centre. Screening tests conducted between January and April last year revealed most of the affected were from Sompeta and adjacent areas of Uddanam region.
New patients are not being admitted to the centre due to the lack of facilities and despite nephrologists having recommended immediate dialysis, a few victims have been waiting for treatment for the last four months. Those whose health condition is poor have to undergo the procedure twice or thrice a week, and so have been forced to turn to private hospitals that charge exorbitant amounts.
Ninety-six people currently receive treatment at the centre and around 30 are awaiting admission, said dialysis unit manager N Janaki Rao. When the Centre was set up in June 2017, there were only five beds. As the footfall at the hospital kept rising steadily, the government provided seven more by February 2018.
“Adding the beds have made the unit congested. We have no option but to keep patients waiting. This has been happening since April this year. Of the 12 dialysis machines here, ten are for general CDK affected people, while the other two are for patients infected by hepatitis C virus as well. Unless the government provides an additional building with more beds, the situation will continue to be difficult,” he explained.
When contacted, district coordinator for hospital service Dr Surya Rao said they had proposed a `3.60-crore building at Sompeta CHC and were awaiting response.