KUALA LUMPUR: There are not enough private or non-governmental organisation (NGO)-run haemodialysis centres in the country to keep up with the rising number of kidney patients.
Eco World Foundation chairman, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, said the number of patients are increasing every year, and lifelong dialysis treatment or organ transplants are their only hope of survival.
He said, it was estimated that the country had around 42,503 chronic kidney patients last year, with around 7,000 new patients recorded annually.
He said there are also around 20,000 people on the waiting list for organ transplants.
“This shows that the lack of haemodialysis treatment centres is something that needs to be urgently addressed, seeing that clinics and hospitals are also unable to cope with the high number of patients.
“As an alternative, patients can seek treatment in private hemodialysis centres, which charge between RM250 to RM280 per treatment.
“Those who are less fortunate can also seek treatment at NGO-run centres at affordable prices,” he said.
Lee was speaking to reporters after handing over a haemodialysis machine and a reprocessor machine to the Datuk Lee Kok Chee Haemodialysis Centre, managed by Pertubuhan Medifund Kuala Lumpur (PMKL).
The two machines, worth RM80,000 are meant to replace the centre’s existing equipment, as a machine’s lifespan is only around seven to eight years.
Lee hoped that the foundation’s donation can offer better haemodialysis treatment for the centre’s patients.
“The Eco World Foundation Board of Trustees has also agreed to donate 10 machines every year to deserving NGOs.
Since the foundation was established four years ago, it has spent RM340,000 towards helping NGO-run dialysis centres. I also hope that more people will step forward to help patients who are less fortunate.
“At the same time, I also hope that the people will practice a healthy lifestyle so that we will see a reduction in the number of patients so that there will no longer be a shortage of haemodialysis centres,” he said.