GOVERNMENT continues to offer free dialysis and kidney care in the Zimbabwe’s Public Health Institutions, a move that has taken off the high cost burden associated with the procedure at a time most citizens cannot afford hospital care and stay owing to depressed incomes and lack of health insurance.
By Patricia Mashiri
Celebrating World International kidney day which ran under the theme: ‘Living Well With Kidney Disease,’ Dr Fabian Mashingaidze, the Gweru Provincial Hospital Medical Superintendent said they are currently treating not less than 31 patients a week.
The cost of renal services is quite high; most of these patients require 2 or 3 sessions a week and the majority cannot afford that on their own. The government has seen it fit to subsidize these services. We have been catering for more than 31 patients a week,” Mashingaidze said.
One dialysis session in Zimbabwe’s private hospital is pegged at $240 United States dollars which way above most Citizen’s monthly salaries and income.
Speaking during an interview with the State media, Rosina Chiyambukira of Nembudziya Gokwe who has been admitted at Gweru Provincial hospital since 23 September 2020 said she was diagnosed with kidney malfunction and has been receiving free dialysis.
“We came on the 23rd of September last year the situation was really bad and we are grateful that she is improving and we are getting this free,” Crispen Chiyambukira said.
In 2010 a research shows that an estimate of 2.3-7.1 million people with end-stage kidney disease died without access to chronic dialysis. It also shows that yearly around 1.7 million people are thought to die from acute kidney injury and overally about 5-10 million people die annually from kidney disease.
