New dialysis centre at Khedekar Hospital will also provide facility to HIV and Hepatitis infected patients
The unit will start providing facilities next week and will have ten beds and five machines initially
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Tuesday inaugurated a ten- bed dialysis unit at its Late Droupadabai Murlidhar Khedekar General Hospital, Bopodi under a private-public partnership model. This centre will also provide facilities to HIV and Hepatitis infected patients.
The unit will start providing facilities next week and will have ten beds and five machines initially. Seven more machines will be inducted in the next couple of months, two of which will especially cater to HIV and Hepatitis infected patients, said officials.
This unit will be run by a private organisation for the next ten years as the PMC does not have manpower. The unit which is set up in a 1,500 sq ft area will provide services at a nominal cost. Water and electricity charges will be borne by the PMC and the private agency will machinery and manpower for the unit,said officials.
As per a senior doctor from PMC requesting anonymity said, “The civic body has 11 dialysis centres which have four to ten beds, however, there are none for HIV and Hepatitis patients. Such patients depend on the dialysis unit at Sassoon Hospital or private hospitals. Dialysis costs around ₹2,000 at private hospitals. The charges for dialysis at the Khedekar Hospital is ₹400 for patients. Patients who are beneficiaries of the Urban Poor Health Scheme have to pay a discounted rate of ₹200.”
Dr Sanjeev Wavare, PMC assistant health officer said, “The number of patients with renal disease who need dialysis is growing in Pune city. It takes around four hours for a dialysis session and patients have to undergo dialysis three times a week. There is a need for more such facilities. We had been pushing to have a dialysis facility for HIV and Hepatitis patients at Katraj Hospital. However, the facility is yet to start, making Khedekar unit the first unit for such a facility.”
“While the charges are nominal, the protocols for the hygiene and cleanliness, distance of dialysis patients to each other, patient turn-over between dialysis sessions among other infection prevention practices will be strictly followed at the dialysis unit,” added, Dr Wavare.
