Riverside Hospital, a privately-owned health institution in Francistown, last week opened a Kidney Dialysis Centre in an effort to mitigate the escalating rate of kidney disease in the country and to bring services closer to the people.
Speaking during the opening of the facility in Francistown, the Managing Director of Riverside Hospital, Dr Kgosidialwa Mompati, said that after the realization that there was an escalation in the number of kidney disease in the country between 2006 and 2010, they were concerned at the fact that the country does not have measures to mitigate the impact of this chronic illness.
“Between 2006 and 2010, 252 patients died of kidney disease in Francistown alone,” he told the participants.
He further mentioned that one of the worrisome factors was that some of their patients were constantly being transferred to South Africa for kidney disease testing and treatment.
Turning to the dialysis centre, Mompati said that their newly established centre has 8 stations and has a full capacity of up to 24 patients who can be put on dialysis three times a week.
Mompati went on to state that with the opening of the Kidney and Dialysis Unit in Francistown, patients will manage to access kidney treatment and check-ups at ease.
“Despite the establishment of this centre, there is still a need to increase kidney centres in the country in order to bring this much needed service at convenience and affordable costs to people,” he added.
He further said that Riverside Hospital has made an association with Fresenius Health Care in South Africa, another kidney health care centre, to help them attain their goal as Fresenius Health Care Centre has wider experience and much expertise in kidney treatment.
The state of the art facility was officially opened by Vice President Mompati Merafhe.
Among other dignitaries in attendance was Professor Charles Swanepoel, the Medical Director of Fresenius Health Care Centre in South Africa who is also an academic at the University of Cape Town.
Riverside Hospital was established in 1989 as a chronic disease management and Wellness Health facility. Due to the rapid increase of the HIV/Aids scourge, the centre went on to expand in the 90’s when it introduced programs such as the HIV treatment programmes. Currently, the clinic treats over 2 500 HIV infected people.
Mompati said the kidney dialysis centre brings to three the number of such centers in the country.
