Patients get lifeline after renal unit is established in Nyeri

Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua cuts the tape to commission a renal unit at the Nyeri General Hospital. (Photo: Mose Sammy/Standard)

Nyeri, Kenya: It was a big sigh of relief when doors opened at the Nyeri County Comprehensive Renal and Dialysis Centre at the county referral hospital.

Before its establishment, the county referral hospital, whose patients come as far as Nyeri, Laikipia, Kirinyaga, Murang’a and Embu, often referred patients to Kenyatta National Hospital for dialysis.

The facility, which was put up at a cost of Sh38 million, comprises ten dialysis machines and a water treatment facility, a renal laboratory equipped with a fully automated immunochemistry analyser and an electrolyte analyser.

The unit can offer dialysis to 14 patients daily since most of them need the services twice a week.

Patients who previously travelled to KNH to seek treatment can now access affordable analysis closer home.

When Charles Wanjama, who has been living with diabetes for five years, was diagnosed with the renal disease two years ago, his life changed dramatically.

The 65-year-old had to travel to Nairobi twice a week to consult a renal specialist and to undergo dialysis for Sh8,000 a  session.

“When my wife and I travelled to Nairobi, we would spend Sh20,000 weekly on accommodation because sometimes the doctor would be unavailable, or get dialysis on the same day,” he notes.

For Wanjama, the dialysis unit is an answered prayer after two agonising years of waiting.

“I was one of the first patients to be dialysed and I only paid Sh3,000,” Wanjama said.

Jackson Kinyua, who was also diagnosed with renal failure two years ago, needs constant medical supervision.

The 46-year-old who has also lived with high blood pressure for ten years, notes that despite having insurance cover underwritten by National Hospital Insurance Fund, which provided Sh4,500 per session, his condition deteriorated that he could not raise the Sh5,500 needed for his dialysis.

Financial burden

He could also not travel to KNH for dialysis. He, therefore, sought treatment at a private hospital in Nyeri even though treatment was quite expensive.

The Renal Centre has become a lifeline for Kinyua. He will now pay Sh3,000 per session and though he is still unable to work, the cost is considerably lower  at the public facility.

The doctor in-charge of the Renal Centre, Dr Beth Mbuthia, says patients should seek regular check up to ensure consistency of treatment.

“The dialysis machine removes toxins and excess water from the body. If patients miss regular treatment they could develop more complications and possibly go into a coma,” Mbuthia explained.

Renal disease is now quite common in Central Kenya, largely arising out of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

According to Nyeri County Health Department statistics, 13 per cent of residents are diabetic.

To accommodate the growing number of patients, the centre has the capacity to maintain 15 machines, Health Executive Charles Githinji says.

County director for Health, Dr Riara Gichuyia wants residents to have regular check ups for early diagnosis and treatment and that is why the county government has embarked on a door-to-door campaign to conduct diabetes and high blood pressure checks.

Otherwise patients will have to contend with the high cost of managing the disease and buying drugs, says Wanjama. “Some pharmacies charge Sh13,000, while others charge Sh4,500 for the same drug,” said  Wanjama.

Initially, these drugs were not available in government hospitals because they were not on the ‘Essential Drugs list’ of drugs to be procured.

However, with devolution of the health sector, counties now have the mandate to revise the Essential Drugs list to suit their needs, says Githinji.

“We have already revised our essential medication list to include drugs that will cater to some of these non-communicable diseases,” he observed.