Health bonus
... as dialysis unit opens its doors
THE new dialysis unit of National Renal Care (NRC) in Queenstown opened yesterday, representing a milestone in the delivery of renal services in the Eastern Cape.
Serving a catchment population of about 234,674, NRC Queenstown offers dialysis to patients with end stage renal disease from Lady Frere, Cala, Comfimvaba, Whittlesea, Elliot, Indwe, Middleburg, Sterkstroom, Dordrecht, Cradock, Tarkastad, Ugie, Steynsburg and Sterkspruit.
National Renal Care (Pty) Ltd operates as a joint venture between Adcock Ingram Critical Care (Pty) Ltd and Netcare Limited, with haemodialysis being a life-saving technique for people with kidney function impairment. It filters the blood using machines, which provide an artificial purifying mechanism for people whose kidneys can no longer eliminate dangerous toxins from the body.
Operations manager of NRC Eastern Cape Leone Barends said the state-of-the-art unit would have 16 dialysis stations with the capacity to provide dialysis to 80 patients with chronic kidney failure three times a week for four hours at a time.
“It provides significantly greater space and comfort for dialysis patients than our previous unit.”
The first Queenstown unit opened in August 2001 with only two stations. This expanded in 2007 to nine stations offering dialysis at 23 stations.
One of the initial unit’s first chronic renal patients continues to
receive treatment with NRC, 14 years later.
“The new unit will enable our staff members, who are dedicated to excellence in renal healthcare delivery, to enhance the current level of care provided to patients on dialysis.”
She thanked the staff, which comprises 11 permanent members including five registered nurses and nephrologist Dr JK Shweni who oversees the unit, for their dedication.
The unit is based at 64 Grey Street in Queenstown.