Hyderabad, April 01: The frightening prospect of paying up for costly dialysis for a lifetime is forcing large number of Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD) patients to give up dialysis. But there is a ray of hope, as the trend of costly dialysis is fast changing in the capital. There are cheaper avenues that can be tapped into.
On an average, in the twin cities, the cost of a dialysis session ranges from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 4,000. Kidney patients, however, need not lose hope. Albeit slow, thanks largely to a few organisations, private hospitals, government intervention and standalone dialysis centres, cost has started to dip. These days, the rate for one session of dialysis ranges from Rs. 1,100 to Rs. 1,300 at a few centres in twin cities. Standalone dialysis centres like Nephroplus are offering a single session for Rs. 1,300 while Aware-Global Hospital, L. B. Nagar is offering a session for just Rs. 1,100.
The State government is already providing free dialysis services to kidney patients under Arogyasri insurance scheme at Gandhi and Osmania General Hospitals. This is not all.
Authorities informed that patients are also given costly erythropoietin-based drugs, which are mandatory for kidney patients, free of cost. There are a few organisations that provide dialysis at discounted rates. The Bhagwan Mahavir Jain Relief Foundation Trust, has tied up with seven hospitals in the city to provide each session of dialysis for Rs. 800. Every last Sunday of the month, the trust distributes coupons to patients, which have to be produced at the designated hospitals to avail dialysis.
“Patients have to pay Rs. 300 to purchase a coupon while the rest is paid by us. Everybody is welcome to avail the facility,” says Inderchand Jain, one of the trustees of the foundation. The trust is also starting a 24-bed facility at King Koti district hospital to provide cheap dialysis services to the needy with a cost of Rs. 3 crore.
“There is a need for patients to be educated. Many discontinue after a few sessions and a few get infected by Hepatitis because they do not follow precautions,” says Director, Nephroplus and founder of Hyderabad Kidney Foundation, Kamal. D. Shah.
Bhagwan Mahavir Trust can be contacted on phone 2474-2896/2474-3445 and Hyderabad Kidney Foundation on the phone 4240-8039.
-Agencies