Mandeville hospital expanding renal services
Published:Friday | April 5, 2019 | 2:54 PM
Regional Director for the Southern Regional Health Authority, Michael Bent, says efforts are being made to expand renal services at the Mandeville Regional Hospital in Manchester so as to reduce the waiting list.
Bent said 58 patients currently access services from the unit’s 12 dialysis stations.
He pointed out that there are some 103 persons on the waiting list to access haemodialysis services, noting that the demand for these services outweigh the hospital’s resources and capacity.
He said that the hospital will make additional adjustments to accommodate a further 11 patients in need of the critical service.
“We are going to stretch the resources and our staff a little more to assist the additional patients, however, we will effectively manage the staff and machines to ensure sustainability of service,” Bent said.
He also called for the private sector and individual Jamaicans to partner with the public health sector to help expand renal services.
The regional director disclosed that it costs $65.8 million annually to treat persons with kidney failure at the hospital.
Bent was speaking at a function on Thursday where $1 million was handed over to the hospital’s renal unit by the Jamaica Standard Products Company Limited.
He welcomed the donation, noting that the company has donated more than $4 million to the unit.
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