MULTAN: Nishtar Hospital, the largest health facility of south Punjab, is facing a shortage of dialysis machines used for kidney-related ailments since long, APP has learnt reliably.
Initially, the outpatient department (OPD) of Nishtar hospital, had imported 34 machines, of them, 4 had expired after completing 25,000 hours functioning, a few years back.
According to Nishtar Bio Medical Engineer report, another 10 machines have also gone out of order after completing double functioning hours (50,000 hours) which further reduced the number of dialysis machines to 19 only.
However, these machines are still being used which were not catering to the need of dialysis patients.
Around 100 patients visit Nishtar hospital OPD daily for dialysis and for one dialysis, a machine had to work for 4 hours and afterwards, it needs one and a half hour for sterilization to start a new procedure.
A single machine is conducting four dialyses round the clock at Nishtar hospital, because three type of patients including recommended from emergency ward, other wards and diabetes are visiting the unit daily.
Growing number of dialysis patients is making it very difficult for dialysis unit staffers to handle the situation.
The dialysis is conducted for a number of kidney related issues including Diabetes Miletus, Untreated high blood pressure, renal stones and kidney failures due to pregnancy etc.
Exchange of hot words between attendants of patients and hospital staff is a common scene at dialysis unit due to a shortage of dialysis machines.
When approached, Nishtar Medical University (NMU) head of Nephrology department, Dr Ghulam Abbas said a new dialysis unit was under construction next to nephrology ward, for which, the health department has pledged 15 dialysis machines besides philanthropists of Multan contribution of 10 machines for it.
He hoped that with the addition, the shortage of machines would be met soon.
The HoD stated that a Philanthropist donated two machines for the unit recently.
