Daily Times

LARKANA: The absence of dialysis machines in Chandka Medical College Hospital continues to put at risk lives of many visiting patients, particularly those suffering from Hepatitis B.

Sources have revealed that all Hepatitis B patients are being deprived of this life-saving facility. Furthermore, there is no professor of nephrology present in CMC to look after the patients of this critical department. This act shows utter negligence of the hospital administration. The dialysis centre, which was previously functioning in the Urology Department in CMCH Teaching Block, has now been shifted to the city block, largely due to the unhygienic ground water. which was being used in the dialysis process through Reverse Osmosis system.

At the moment, there are 11 machines present , out of which, nine have been reserved for Hepatitis negative patients and two for Hepatitis C patients. Out of these two machines, one has already completed its life and keeps on creating technical troubles. All these machines are not only outdated but also unworthy of usage as they have been running in three shifts for years.

Previously, 40-42 kidney-failure patients from many nearby districts were getting dialysis on a daily basis but now only 30-32 patients can have this facility, due to the non-availability of machines. The ground water has been determined unfit for dialysis by the PCSIR Laboratory report because of the nearby flowing Rice Canal. However, now it has been transferred to a new place, which is located in the centre of the city and has a comparatively better ground water. This centre badly needs at least 20 new dialysis machines on an immediate basis, to cope up with the ever-increasing rush of poor patients, who are unable to bear the costs of travel to Sukkur or Gambat to save their lives. Each patient requires weekly dialysis of at least four hours or even more, depending on his/her condition.

No dialysis machines are available in the private sector in the entire Larkana district. Hence, the patients have to rely on this government sector hospital, which continues to remain in a shambolic state.