BHUBANESWAR: After a delay of more than a year, the expanded dialysis unit of Nephrology department at SCB Medical College and Hospital is set to start functioning by the end of this month.
The much-required reverse osmosis (RO) water plant is finally being established for the unit and would be completed within a week. The installation of 12 new dialysis machines along with shifting of existing eight to the new unit will be completed in the week thereafter and the full-fledged unit would start its services before March, officials said on Tuesday.
The addition will enhance the capacity of the premier Government nephrology services facility to serve nearly 100 patients a day.
The new dialysis unit was lying in a state of disuse despite procurement of 14 dialysis machines in early 2014, thanks to non-establishment of the Reverse Osmosis (RO) water plant. After much dilly-dallying on the issue, the Government finally approved the tender for the RO plant worth around `12 lakh in January this year.
The hospital had procured 14 dialysis machines at a cost of `1.18 crore in view of the burgeoning patient load. Only two had been installed while the rest 12 were left unused due to the lack of support infrastructure like the RO plant.
The existing set-up with eight machines managed to conduct around 30 dialysis per day with more than 50 others failing to get their turn. As a result, many poor patients were forced to seek services at private hospitals at high costs. While the delay had raised much consternation, the CAG had also drawn reference to the issue in its report this year.
However, things are finally set for a positive turn. The operationalisation of the dialysis facility will not only benefit a large number of needy patients but also accelerate other expansion plans of the department. The shifting of the present dialysis unit to its new location will pave way for increasing bed strength as well as upgradation works.
“While the dialysis beds go up from eight to 20, the beds in the Nephrology ward will also be increased to 45 from present 33. A high dependency unit or semi ICU for post- kidney transplant patients with six beds will also be established. The continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) or home dialysis, which involves round-the-clock dialysis through a catheter and allows the patient to go about his normal routine including work, will also be increased from three to six,” head of Nephrology Prof CR Kar said.