More dialysis centres will be a blessing to patients

Apr 30, 2019 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

I am writing in response to a letter from a patient being dialysed at the Doobay Medical and Research Centre (DMRC) that was published in your Newspaper on April 26, 2019. I would like to thank Ms. Romayne Atkinson for her testimony of the service she received from DMRC.
The idea to start a Dialysis Clinic came about as a result of my visit to Guyana in 2009. I discovered patients had to pay $36,000 dollars for one Dialysis Session. Considering that a patient requires 3 dialysis per week my question was “what happens when the patients’ money is finished?” I was told they cannot be dialysed anymore, which is essentially a death sentence for the patient.
I approached the nephrologists at Mc Master University and sought their help to work with me to see if a dialysis clinic can be established in Guyana. Professor Ingram from Mc Master University and his team were gracious enough to supervise this undertaking. In 2010, this Centre was commissioned at Annandale, East Coast Demerara, Guyana.
Over the years, we continuously raise funds to enable a reduction in cost for dialysis. Currently, one Dialysis cost is $9,000 but at a heavy loss to the Centre. Unfortunately, we had no choice but to make the hard decision to raise the fees to G$12,000 as of May 1, 2019 in order to sustain operations. This is only so we can survive financially and the patients who can’t afford any money whatsoever can also survive, as approximately 50% of the patients being dialysed cannot afford to pay at all.
Mr. Sattaur Gafoor heard about the patients’ plight and he decided he will cover the shortfall which is $2M Guyana dollars per month from May to December. It is only because of his generous support; patients will continue to pay $9,000 over this period. Mrs. Ameena Gafoor contributes to the work of the Centre so patients can be dialysed in a timely manner.
I am appealing to all Guyanese to visit the Centre and see how you can help because we do not want to close our doors to patients, to our fellow Guyanese who are in need. Your help is CRITICAL for patients who cannot afford these treatments.
A Dialysis Centre was started at GPHC with Machines and Water System given by the Centre in Annandale so very sick patients do not have to travel to Annandale by ambulance.
To facilitate our patients further, we will start Dialysis in Georgetown soon so that patients can access Dialysis without incurring further transportation cost.
The Ministry of Health is considering opening up Centres in New Amsterdam, Essequibo and Linden in the near future. This will be a great blessing for the residents in those areas.

Dr. Budhendra Doobay

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