Pakistan ranks at 8th place in the list of countries having high rate of kidney diseases. Millions of people in Pakistan are suffering from nephrological conditions, lower income groups make up most of the kidney patients in the country due to unavailability of clean drinking water, proper hygienic & sanitation practices and healthy diet. Increased consumption of smokeless tobacco in lower income groups is another important cause contributing to poor nephrological health.
The Patients’ Aid Foundation (PAF) is a non-profit healthcare management organization that works alongside JPMC to enhance and ensure quality healthcare services at Jinnah Hospital. Keeping in mind its objective, PAF saw the support Nephrology ward needed in order to cater to the increasing kidney patients with quality hemodialysis service.
PAF proposed a plan to its donors to introduce quality hemodialysis service at the Nephrology ward of JPMC. With its persistent pitching to the donors, PAF was able to collect funds and introduce one of the most reliable hemodialysis treatment in the city at JPMC. PAF equipped Nephrology ward with a dedicated space for hemodialysis treatment where it introduced 19 hemodialysis machines and also installed 2 new RO plants in order to meet international standard of dialysis services.
In addition to the renovation and equipment, PAF has also employed competent personnel which includes 2 qualified consultants for the post examination of the patients; 6 dialysis technicians for accurately operating the hemodialysis machines and 5 supporting resources for the efficient handling of the patients, constant follow-ups and reminder calls to the patients going through dialysis treatment.
JPMC might not be a dedicated hospital unlike other few available in the city which provides kidney related services and dialysis treatment. However, with the help of PAF, it has been able to introduce quality dialysis treatment through modern equipment and efficient human resource at a dedicated space within its Nephrology ward. This facility has been helpful in lifting off burden from the very few public facilities providing hemodialysis treatment, free of cost to the less privileged patients.
The hemodialysis facility at Nephrology ward, JPMC introduced by PAF has given a chance to the patients who have been seeking dialysis treatment but due to unavailability of the services were not able to start the treatment. The expansive area, reduced waiting time, smooth admission, proper follow-ups, post examination, all these factors have helped this facility emerge as approachable and accessible facility providing hemodialysis treatment.
The facility is trying to improve nephrological health of the less privileged kidney patients by providing quality hemodialysis treatment with as many sessions as needed by each patient without the fear of discontinuation in between the treatment. This quality service results in improvedquality of life of these less privileged kidney patients, with free of cost hemodialysis treatment.
Seeing the need for the dialysis treatment in lower income groups, PAF is working with its benevolent donor to expand the dialysis service at JPMC through the introduction of a new dialysis unit catering to even an increased number of dialysis patients.