The Dialysis Unit at the Princess Alexandra Hospital has, over the years, been providing optimum service for patients affected by kidney defects. However, the Unit’s facility, which is a rather rustic container, is nearing the end of its useful life. Hence, a state-of- the-art dialysis centre in being currently constructed at the western wing of the hospital.
Mrs. Maeza Demis-Adams, Chief Executive Officer of the Health Authority of Anguilla, spoke to The Anguillian concerning the operations of the Dialysis Unit, and the construction of the new project:
“The current unit at the hospital is in a container,” she said. “It was a temporary arrangement which the Health Authority entered into some ten years ago, and now it is deteriorating. So, this makes it necessary to move all the dialysis functions into a proper, sound facility.”
When asked whether the cases of patients needing dialysis care have risen today, in comparison to two years ago, she said: “Actually, no. We currently have 12 clients, and the number of cases has, in fact, fallen over the years. In-stage Renal Disease takes a process. No one really automatically goes into In-stage Renal at once. They are some people who are actually going through this process, and they are only placed on dialysis when the kidney functions drop to a specific percentage. These patients are monitored in the chronic disease clinics, and only when it is absolutely necessary they are placed on dialysis treatment.
“So the clients that we now have on dialysis treatment are patients whose kidneys are no longer functioning at the required capacity needed to filter their blood. Once a client is on dialysis, at this critical stage, he or she has to remain on dialysis indefinitely unless a kidney transplant is done, and, of course, we don’t normally see transplants happening around here. ”
She said that the clients are required to be on the dialysis machine for three days every week. The Unit is opened six days a week, being closed on Sundays, and dialysis is done on all other days from 7:00 a.m. to 4:000 p.m.
Asked how expensive is the treatment, she answered: “On average, the cost of treatment per session is EC$1,000. However, dialysis treatment is heavily subsidised by Government. Yes, it is quite expensive, as a client would be required to pay, on a weekly basis, EC$3,000. That equates to EC$12,000 per month. The average client would not be able to pay that much per month, so here is where insurance and Government subsidies come in.”
Reverting to the Unit itself, she was asked what is the size of the new facility. Mrs. Demis-Adams replied: “The new Unit will cover an area of 4,000 square feet. We would be able to accommodate nine machines. New machines were procured about fifteen months ago, and we have one machine provided for isolation in case a client would need to be isolated – which is very relevant in these times.”
The Unit is being built by the local construction company, Dennis Romney Construction, doing business as Orchard Romney and Beck (ORB). The construction cost is in the region of US$1.6 million and, according to Dennis Romney Senior, the new facility should be ready to be handed over to the Health Authority of Anguilla by year end.
