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Renal failure patient seeks assistance

May 07, 2016 News

A Charlestown, Georgetown man, Phillip King, who has been diagnosed with chronic renal failure is appealing to the public for assistance with funding his haemodialysis.
King, 54, was diagnosed with the kidney disorder close to two years ago on a visit to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). He has now been forced to undergo haemodialysis treatment three times per week at the Doobay Medical Centre.
The cost of each treatment, according to King is $9,000; bringing it to a total of $27,000 weekly. But like many other persons with this condition, he has no other choice. This treatment has become his “new kidney” responsible for removing excess fluids and harmful toxins from the body that will otherwise get stuck in his system, causing bloating, breathing problems and even death.
King, who says he is a former boxer, said that he cannot afford to pay for his medical expenses since he is unable to work and has to maintain his two minor children.
The Ministry of Health under the PPP, King related, had assisted him with payment for 36 treatment sessions. However, these have expired. He said that he went back to the Ministry for additional help only to be told that he can only receive assistance once in a lifetime.
Sometime after the General Election, King visited the Ministry of Social Protection, where he said he spoke with Minister Volda Lawrence who promised to foot the cost of 18 sessions. He stated that the Minister then referred him to the Health Ministry after assuring him she will ask them to pay the remaining. But he was told that he cannot be provided with anymore assistance after his visit.
King recalled that he began feeling sick in 2014. He recounted that he began vomiting after every meal and his feet started to swell constantly. That was when he suspected that something was amiss and paid a visit to a private doctor.
The doctor, he added, referred him to GPHC after he informed him that he could not afford to pay for service.
The dialysis patient admitted that he had contemplated taking his own life because the “pain is too much” resulting in him being unable to work or do basic things for himself.
“…I does try to do work…Sometimes you wake up feeling strong and another time you feel worn out. Yuh foot ketching cramp, yuh hand ketching cramp and you got to go and lie down,” he cried.
According to the father, his prolonged condition of hypertension is responsible for his kidney failure.
Complaining about the level of service provided by the GPHC, he said that it is very frustrating when he has to wait for hours before he could be seen by a doctor.
Those willing to assist can contact him on (592) 686-9885 or 231-7784.

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