The Sunday News
GWERU Provincial Hospital has started offering renal dialysis services following the acquisition of four dialysis machines in January this year.
Renal dialysis is the process of purifying blood by passing it through a membrane and is used specifically for treating patients with damaged kidneys.
The development comes as a huge relief for Midlands province considering that renal dialysis was only being offered in Harare and Bulawayo.
In an interview, Gweru Provincial Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Fabian Mashingaidze said the renal dialysis unit was set up in January this year following the acquisition of the equipment and had since started treating patients.
“We have set up a renal dialysis unit following the acquisition of four dialysis machines. We started operating in January this year. We are already attending to patients and we are serving 12 patients everyday. We have the capacity of serving about 20 patients in a day,” he said.
Dr Mashingaidze said Gweru Provincial Hospital becomes the third public health institution in the country to offer renal dialysis.
He said there was a high turnout of patients at the hospital and they were also contemplating acquiring more machines.
“We are the only hospital outside Harare and Bulawayo offering renal dialysis. We are also looking forward to acquiring more machines so that we would be able to adequately meet the demand for the services in the province and other surrounding areas,” he said.
Dr Mashingaidze said the hospital was compelled to open a renal dialysis unit following high demand for the services in the province.
“Most of our patients are from around Midlands Province. We are also training nurses to ensure the machines are adequately manned,” he said.
A patient, Mrs Motsi Dewa, who has been suffering from renal failure for the past 10 years, said the setting up of the unit came as a relief to her.
“I was diagnosed with renal failure 10 years ago. I have been going to either Harare or Bulawayo for renal dialysis every week. I used to spend $100 on transport and food each time I went for dialysis. This comes as a relief for me because I’m now able to receive treatment in my hometown which is more convenient,” she said.
