Will be donated by Ambalal Trust

The Government Vellore Medical College Hospital (GVMCH) in Adukkamparai will be getting three more dialysis units costing Rs.25 lakh under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

The units are being donated by Ambalal Trust, Gudiyatham. With this donation, the hospital will be having five dialysis units.

Earlier on February 11 a hemodialysis unit, with two dialysis machines, was established at a cost of Rs.16 lakh.

It was done with funds provided by Anaicut MLA M. Kalaiarasu under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). The unit was commissioned by the District Collector R. Nanthagopal.

Briefing newspersons at the hospital premises on Tuesday, Dr. Sithy Athiya Munavarah, Dean, GVMCH said that 57 cycles have been completed for 11 patients at the hemodialysis unit in the last two months.

The unit is equipped with two doctors, three staff nurses and two trained technicians whose salary will be paid from funds made available under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS).

“With the existing machines, we can provide three cycles of dialysis per week to 11 patients. The new machines will enable the hospital to allot one machine exclusively to renal patients with hepatitis-B”, said Dr. Philomena, Head of the Department of Medicine, GVMCH.

K. Jawarilal Jain, chairman of the Ambalal Trust which has offered to donate three dialysis machines, said that such a facility in a government hospital is very essential.

This kind of a facility will be of immense help to the poor who suffer from renal failure and cannot afford to pay for dialysis in a private or corporate hospital, where the cost of dialysis ranged between Rs.1,500 and Rs.4,000 per sitting.

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This hospital required at least 20 machines, he said, adding that the maintenance of the facilities donated under the PPP was very important.

The Ambalal Trust was prepared to provide more help to the hospital based on the needs of the patients, he said.

Dr. E. Sivakumar, Medical Superintendent of GVMCH and Dr. P. Arunan, Resident Medical Officer of the hospital said that the kind gesture of Ambalal Trust under PPP was a boon to the under-privileged.

Mr. Kalaiarasu appealed to philanthropists and well-wishers to contribute their mite towards provision of facilities for advanced treatment for diseases such as renal failure and cardiac diseases.

Asked about the efforts at the establishment of renal transplantation unit, the Dean said that they were in an initial stage.

A sum of Rs.25 lakh has already been allotted by Anaicut MLA under the CDF for the unit.

The existing operation theatre needed to be renovated for the purpose, she said.

Dr. Sivakumar said that two theatres were required for the purpose, one for harvesting the kidney from the donor, and the other for transplantation to the recipient.

Besides, a 24-hour nephrology back-up, a good laboratory was also required.

The renal transplantation unit would become a reality in GVMCH in the near future, he said.

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Source: thehindu.com

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