Dialysis centres for every taluk soon: U T Khader

Speaking at a formal programme after inaugurating the units, Mr Khader said that in order to provide dialysis patients with better health care, each taluk in every district would soon have a dialysis centre. In recent years, a growing number of people were being affected by diabetes and renal diseases. The state government has proposed setting up a dialysis centre in each taluk in Karnataka, in order to ensure that patients requiring regular dialysis treatment had better facilities. Although it has been delayed due to shortage of technicians and other staff, the dialysis centres will be set up once the shortage was met by the health department, he said.

Speaking about the emergency mobile unit, he said that there was a disconnection between medicinal facilities and the people who were suffering, especially in rural areas. “Health care is a primary requirement of people. Instead of curative medicines, we need to focus more on preventive measures today,” he said, hoping that there would be a dramatic change in medical facilities and health care in rural areas.

Dr K C Prakash said that people talked about health problems and expensive methods of cure, but never thought about preventing a problem using preventive medicines. “Detecting renal diseases at an early stage can prevent patients from reaching advanced stages of the disease, or prolong their need for dialysis. Today, we should be involved in talking about prevention rather than expensive treatment that most people in India cannot afford,” he said.

In his presidential address, chairman of Unity Care and Health Services Ltd Dr C P Habeeb Rahman said that health care was the most disorganised sector in the country, while the private health care sector got the least encouragement from the government. “The USA spends 19 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health care, while India spends merely one percent on it. Today, we have made tremendous growth in education, transport and other sectors, but have very less growth in health care. India requires better thinking and use of its resources. We need a transformation in indigenous rural health care services,” he said.

Managing Director of Unity Health Complex Ajmal M Habeeb and Executive Director Ashfaq M Habeeb were present on the occasion. Dr Ashfaq Mohammed welcomed the gathering.

Additions to Unity Health Complex

With the launch of the two units on Saturday, Unity Health Complex has a 13-bed intensive dialysis care centre including the newly-inaugurated advanced dialysis unit and a central mixing unit.

The mobile critical care unit is a 24x7 emergency ambulance fitted with monitoring systems, ventilator, destabiliser, automated external defibrillator and infusion pumps and is equipped with an emergency medical technician and a registered nurse. The ambulance comes with a toll-free number 105707.