Inauguration of a new haemodialysis machine for the greater Chennai corporation RCME tanker dialysis unit

TANKER cares for those, the underprivileged, who suffer kidney problems of any kind, reversible or terminal, regardless of caste, creed, sex or religion.
Inauguration of a new haemodialysis machine for the greater Chennai corporation RCME tanker dialysis unit

Almost 2.5 lakh people die of kidney failure in India every year. It is the third largest killer after malignancy and heart disease. Millions suffer from some form of kidney disease and many of them, particularly in India cannot afford the cost of treatment or care.

TANKER (Tamilnad Kidney Research) Foundation is a registered non-profit charitable organisation founded by Dr. Georgi Abraham and likeminded people in June 1993 with the aim of helping under-privileged people with kidney disease by giving subsidised and free dialysis and one time financial help for medication, investigation and transplantation and to spread awareness about kidney disease. TANKER cares for those, the underprivileged, who suffer kidney problems of any kind, reversible or terminal, regardless of caste, creed, sex or religion. TANKER runs 12 dialysis units in Tamilnadu , 8 in Chennai and one each in Madurai, Coimbatore, Vellore and Tiruppur helping 672 patients with free and subsidized dialysis. The Valluvarkottam unit is supported by the Greater Chennai Corporation, Rotary Club of Madras East and other valuable donors and has 18 machines.

This new 19th machine has been donated by M/s. Sri Ramachandra Trust and M/s. Mangal Tirth Estate Limited and was inaugurated by Mr. N. Ramachandran and Mr. M. Balasubramaniam at the Greater Chennai Corporation, Rotary Club of Madras East, TANKER Foundation Dialysis Unit. With this generous donation more patients will benefit in and around the Valluvarkottam area.

TANKER Foundation Managing Trustee, Mrs Latha A. Kumaraswami, welcomed the donors and gave an update of TANKER and said that so far TANKER has done more than 4 lakh free and subsidized dialysis through their 12 dialysis centres thanks to valuable support from the CMCHIS, Greater Chennai Corporation and various Rotary Clubs, FreeMasons, Round Table and other valuable donors. TANKER has given donations of Rs.3.49 crores for medications and investigation costs. TANKER has conducted 1279 Awareness programmes reaching out to 1.8 lakh people and over 35810 people have been screened for kidney disease. She also deeply appreciated all the staff of TANKER and called them Angels on Earth who are doing selfless service.

Mr. N. Ramachandran of M/s. Sri Ramachandra Trust spoke and greatly appreciated the dedicated service by TANKER and their wonderful staff. Mr. M. Balasubramaniam and Mr. Vijay of M/s. Mangal Tirth Estate Limited said they would continue to help TANKER in all their activities.TANKER Foundation Head Admin, Mrs Vasanthi Ravichander, proposed the vote of thanks.

TANKER Update:

We have completed 28 years of service for the underprivileged with kidney ailments. With your help, we have meaningfully contributed to healthcare, research, training and advocacy connected to kidney disease. From June 1993 till January 2022, TANKER has provided 461,163 free and subsidized dialysis for 2136 patients. We have also given financial support of Rs. 3.52 Crores to 3827 patients as one-time contributions ranging from Rs. 5,000/- to Rs. 50,000/- for transplantation, medication, investigation and fistula surgery costs.

Our Twelve subsidized dialysis units have a total of 180 Dialysis Machines and are situated in 1. Ambattur Rotary Hospital, Chennai, 2. Arogya Trust, Chokkikulam, Madurai, 3. RVS College of Nursing, Kannampalayam, Coimbatore, 4. Corporation P.H.C, Nungambakkam, Chennai along with Rotary Club of Madras East, 5. Thiruverkadu, Chennai with Rotary Club of Madras West, 6. Vellore with Rotary Club of Vellore Fort 7. Corporation U. P. H. C, Retteri, Chennai along with Rotary Club of Chennai Towers, 8. Perungudi, Chennai with Corporation U.C.H.C 9. Corporation U.C.H.C, Valasaravakkam, Chennai along with Rotary Club of Chennai Coastal, 10. Corporation U.C.H.C , Injambakkam, Chennai along with Freemasons Lodge Accountants 194 and Lodge Accountants Charitable Trust 11.Tiruppur with Tiruppur North Rotary Club and Tiruppur Corporation, 12.Corporation U.C.H.C, Thiruvotriyur, Chennai along with Rotary Club of Madras Central Aadithya and Rotary Club of Madras West. We provide 6467 dialysis per month, of which 6209 are free of cost with valuable help from the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS), Greater Chennai Corporation and other valzuable donors. At present, we help 672 patients in our units.

We also have a dialysis facility at MGM Hospital, Pondicherry. In November 2009, we started our HIV Dialysis Unit providing dialysis to underprivileged HIV patients. This is the first of its kind in India. Subsequently we also opened an HIV facility with 3 machines in Parumala, Kerala. We also support Kerala Kidney Research Foundation (KKRF), which provides free and subsidized dialysis at Thiruvalla Medical Mission, SH Hospital, Kottayam and PVS Hospital, Kochi. We have recently also donated 4 machines worth Rs. 24 Lakhs to KKRF. In February 2016, TANKER helped Catholic Mission Centre Hospital, Imphal, Manipur with 4 machines and equipment worth Rs. 33 Lakhs. We have enabled the opening of two dialysis units one each in Pillar Hospital, Port Blair, Andaman Islands with Rotary Club of Guindy and Lawley Hospital, Coonoor with Rotary Club of Nilgiris. TANKER along with The Madras Medical Mission has donated a machine to the Dar es salaam General Hospital in Tanzania.

Almost 2.5 lakh people die of kidney failure in India every year. It is the third largest killer after malignancy and heart disease. Along with helping our patients, spreading the word about kidney disease is equally important to TANKER. We have reached out to more than 1.89 lakh people with the 1279 Awareness Programmes we conducted at schools, colleges, law enforcement offices and public forums. We have also screened 35,810 individuals for early detection of kidney disease through our 423 screening camps. TANKER Foundation, Kerala Kidney Research Foundation and St. Behanan's Orthodox Church opened an awareness and screening center in St. Behanan's Orthodox Church at Vennikulam, Kerala on 03rd March 2021 to reach out to the needy. As the field of research in kidney diseases requires more attention and guidance in India, TANKER also gives awards for research in Nephrology and Service to the tune of Rs. 8 lakhs every year.

We are continuing to do dialysis for all our patients through our 12 dialysis units. Our grateful thanks again for your continued support. Please keep our staff and patients in your prayers.

(This press release was issued by the TANKER.)

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