(Seychelles News Agency) - More patients suffering from kidney diseases and requiring renal care can now be assisted after an extension of the haemodialysis unit at the Seychelles Hospital.

With the extension which was officially opened on Friday, the number of dialysis chairs has increased from 26 to 40. This is an increase in dialysis capacity of about 54 percent.

There are currently 173 patients requiring renal care on Mahe, the main island, four on Praslin and one on La Digue, the second and third most populated islands of Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean.

The nurse manager at the unit, Elsia Sinon, said that the extension was required as the demand for dialysis was increasing.

“Prior to this, we were doing three sessions per day. With the 14 new machines, we can bring that down to two sessions. This is much more favourable for the patients because they were leaving the service really late at night at times at midnight, and both staff and patients will be happy,” said Sinon.

The refurbishment of the extended unit was made through an investment made by the AMSA Renal Care, a Dubai-based Indian Company, contracted for the management of the haemodialysis services at the Health Care Agency since March 2015. 

In addition to the added capacity, a reverse osmosis plant, an essential implement for haemodialysis, has also been installed to serve the Intensive Care Unit.

Dialysis is a procedure to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys stop working properly.

“Dialysis services are lifesaving services. The services that we are offering through our existing unit as well as through the new unit, ensures that people who are facing the challenges of chronic illnesses can have the best quality of life possible, keeping in mind the difficulty of their existing situation,” said Jean-Paul Adam, the health minister, at the opening ceremony.

The extension unit was officially opened on Friday. (Jude Morel) Photo License: CC-BY

Adam added that “the challenge will continue to grow and this is in particular due to the rise in noncommunicable diseases in our country.”

Sinon said that the Ministry is putting emphasis on educating patients.

“As staff of the Ministry of Health, we stress a lot about prevention to reduce cases or delay someone from requiring the dialysis service. The majority of persons coming in for dialysis are those suffering from diabetes, hypertension and urinal infection,” said Sinon.

She added that the health ministry is working on educating patients on the service to get kidney transplants, which will improve their lives as they will not have to come to the dialysis centre.

“There are already patients who have done kidney transplants. Currently, there are five potential patients on our list for a transplant,” said Sinon.

During the opening ceremony, the president of AMSA Renal Care, Abdullah Ajmal, said that “the technologies employed are some of the best in the world and we spared no effort to ensure that the people of Seychelles has the best care possible.”