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Doobay Renal Centre seeks to further reduce cost of hemodialysis treatment
– Appeals for Govt. assistance
Three years ago 65-year-old Shirley Bridgemohan was diagnosed with kidney failure. Unless a kidney transplant is done Bridgemohan would require hemodialysis treatment until death.
Accessing dialysis locally is quite costly but thanks to the Doobay Renal Centre, located at Annandale, East Coast Demerara, many Guyanese including Bridgemohan pay a minimal fee of $15,000 per session, which usually costs about $36,000.
At the Centre’s first anniversary celebrations yesterday, this publication interviewed Bridgemohan while she was undergoing dialysis. Bridgemohan is the first patient of the Centre. The elderly woman disclosed that previously she used to undergo hemodialysis at another facility but the cost was unaffordable.
The Centre’s low cost hemodialysis has allowed her to undergo treatment thrice weekly. However, management of the Centre hopes to reduce the cost further but needs assistance from Government since it is a not-for-profit organization that functions largely on donations. These donations have enabled the Centre to maintain its policy of not turning away patients.
Dr. Budhendra Doobay receives a donation from Dr. Euan Carlisle of McMaster University
Yesterday, the Centre received a total of CAD$100,000 in donations from two Canadian organizations – McMaster University, and International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF) – to provide affordable health services to poor Guyanese.
A team including Dr. Euan Carlisle of the McMaster University has been playing an integral role in the Centre’s development through the provision of specialized expertise. McMaster University furthered its support to the Centre with a generous donation of CAD$50,000.
According to Dr. Carlisle, despite the unavailability of local skills and finances, the determination of management to help the poor saw the realization of the Doobay Renal Centre. He related that the McMaster University has been supporting the Centre but more could be done if Government provides some amount of funding.
Meanwhile, the CAD$50,000 contribution from IDRF is said to be an initial donation into the Centre to see Guyanese over a six-month period pay a reduce fee for hemodialysis treatment. Chairman of IDRF, Winston Kassim, touted the Centre as a success and indicated that the partnership between the two entities will grow.
Making a direct appeal to President Donald Ramotar for Government to assist the Centre, Founder of Doobay Renal Centre Dr. Budhendra Doobay said with additional assistance more Guyanese could access medical treatment.
He added that the Centre donated four dialysis machines to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation to create a renal centre. But he said that the plan has been stymied.
This disclosure was met with disapproval by President Ramotar who indicated that cooperation with private entities for the betterment of Guyanese should be appreciated. He pledged that Government will support the Centre in a general sense.
Pointing out that Guyanese who would have migrated years ago are the backbone behind the Centre, Ramotar made reference to the recently launched Diaspora Project in New York. He noted that the project seeks to garner the expertise of Guyanese living abroad so that they could render skills when needed.
Even with the need for additional assistance to reduce the cost of Hemodialysis, the Centre was able to provide about 2,800 sessions for the year. According to the entity’s Chief Executive Officer, Vickram Oditt, the facility has trained nurses who are patient care oriented.
Shirley Bridgemohan undergoing hemodialysis
He added that management wants to reduce the cost of Hemodialysis to below $9,000. He noted that for two years management and Government have been negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding but progress is slothful.
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