Dialysis treatment
IN the FT of January 4, Minister for Health Dr Antonio Lalabalavu said he was going to speak with his permanent secretary Dr James Fong regarding certain eligibility arrangements for dialysis treatment at the National Kidney Centre in Nadera, Nasinu.
First of all, I wish to thank the minister for taking his time to look into dialysis, visit the centre and make observations.
I am the wife of the late Simon Hazelman who passed away on November 27, 2022 after being on dialysis for just over two years at a private kidney dialysis centre and I wish to say that it is one thing to make observations and another to actually live the life of a dialysis patient.
Simply put, free dialysis is not for the poor because the poor cannot afford the hidden costs to enable them to afford free dialysis treatment. It is not for the medium ranged income earners either because they will likely not qualify for eligibility and so will barely scrape through being
Acknowledgement for Seruvakula
SENIRUSI Seruvakula did wonders during the time he was with the Fijian Drua and Fijiana 15s team as head coach.
He led the Fijian Drua to the National Rugby Championship title in 2018 when the side beat defending champions Queensland Country 36-26 to win the fifth edition of Australia’s NRC.
Under his able leadership and guidance, the Fijiana Drua won the able to take care of their families and afford the seldom spoken of hidden costs at the same time and so will begin juggling their needs and wants and end up skipping dialysis sessions to make it affordable.
On the other hand, if one is attending a private clinic, qualifying for subsidy is merely a small breather. And the rest of your story basically becomes no different from the freebies. If you don’t qualify for subsidy at your private clinic, then you need to be prepared to shoulder all hidden and known costs of dialysis!
The fact is dialysis is currently a scientific and technical process of lengthening the life of people suffering from kidney failure that is geared more for those who can afford all the hidden costs while maintaining a comfortable lifestyle and being willing to watch as their comforts fade away a little at a time, slowly but surely, as dialysis costs chew away at their income, their assets and their life. In other words, others benefit from your
Super W title beating the NSW Waratahs 32-26 in the final.
The Drua won all matches of the 2022 Super W and claimed the title in their historic first season.
Seruvakula also coached the Fijiana in their historic Tests versus the Sakura, Wallaroos, Wahine NZ Maori and Canada, and to our maiden Women’s RWC 15s tournament, where the side recorded its first victory, beating South Africa 2117, but going down to the sides that finished second and third in NZ. Fiji lost to The Roses 84-19 and France 44-0. England lost to the Black Ferns 34-31 in long term illness in the long run!
Dialysis being fairly new in Fiji is exciting at first, then mellows and finally becomes tiring before it retires to being a laborious process altogether.
Exceptionally in Fiji, dialysis is undergone at a rate of 3 of 4 hourly treatments staggered throughout the week for each patient. The hidden costs associated with dialysis are those associated with before treatment, during treatment and after treatment.
These costs include things like all ingredients for your special diet at home and while on dialysis which are made up of mostly low potassium food, your water which should be chlorine free, your medications which can become quite substantial if you happen to suffer from other complications like diabetes, your transport costs to and from your dialysis centre, to the pharmacy and shopping, your doctors appointments, your blood tests which become more frequent if you are not well, your admission costs if you the final, while France beat Canada 36-0 to claim bronze medal. The Fijiana finished the RWC tournament on a ninth ranking.
Seruvakula proved his worth as a coach, and I plead with FRU to retain his services in developing the game at grassroot level.
We can’t afford to lose his service. Vinaka vakalevu Seruvakula!
RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM
Nadawa, Nasinu
Retirement issue
WOULD those who retired in the last few years but are yet to reach 60, be called back are admitted into a hospital for complications which is likely to happen at some or many points along the way, and your time spent on the machine which is 12 hours altogether in a week not including travelling time.
To add to this if we take into account the time and effort and sacrifice that loved ones put in on a long term basis, it would be a sacrifice that no eligibility or subsidy could ever repay.
And so I wish to request our honourable Minister for Health and his permanent secretary to do all in their power to help all dialysis patients across the board as best as they possibly can in a manner that truly will benefit the cause.
Kidney failure is on an alarming rise. What does that mean for dialysis and eligibility and subsidy? Doctors, right now, immediately, eligibility and subsidy set aside, please, please, make awareness your highest priority!
NOLEEN BILLINGS
Savusavu to work?
BIMAL PRASAD Newtown Rd, Wailoaloa, Nadi
Proper drainage
AFTER a sudden downpour, there are reports of flash flooding and residents blame poor drainage. In Fiji’s context, what would be the definition of proper drainage? I am pretty sure grass and other plants growing beside roads and other dug up places would not fit the definition of drain. MOHAMMED IMRAZ JANIF
Natabua, Lautoka