Walvis Bay gets its own dialysis unit

THE recent opening of a haemodialysis unit in Walvis Bay makes treatment much more convenient for people in the Erongo Region who suffer from kidney failure.

Before the two brand-new dialysis machines arrived at the Welwitschia Hospital last month, patients were forced to travel to Windhoek – the only place in Namibia where dialysis could be done. Since a patient with chronic kidney failure should ideally undergo treatment three times a week, travelling back and forth added a further financial burden to a very expensive treatment regime.It also resulted in severe disruptions of the patient’s family life and employment.Patients who are on holiday at the coast can now continue their treatment there.The Welwitschia Haemodialysis Unit can treat about six kidney patients per day.The unit is a satellite of the Windhoek Kidney and Dialysis Centre and is run in conjunction with Fresenius Medical Care.Haemodialysis has been used for almost 50 years to treat patients with advanced and permanent kidney failure.During treatment, a patient’s blood is channelled through a machine with a special filter to remove waste products and excess fluid.The cleaned blood is then returned to the patient’s body.Through this artificial kidney, the patient’s blood pressure is controlled and the proper balance of essential chemicals, such as sodium and potassium, is maintained.Known causes of chronic or acute renal failure include high blood pressure, diabetes, malaria, kidney diseases and dehydration.A healthy diet with a low intake of salt and fatty foods, drinking plenty of fluids, taking prescribed medicines for chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension and avoiding excessive use of drugs such as paracetamol can help to prevent kidney failure or disease.Since a patient with chronic kidney failure should ideally undergo treatment three times a week, travelling back and forth added a further financial burden to a very expensive treatment regime.It also resulted in severe disruptions of the patient’s family life and employment.Patients who are on holiday at the coast can now continue their treatment there.The Welwitschia Haemodialysis Unit can treat about six kidney patients per day.The unit is a satellite of the Windhoek Kidney and Dialysis Centre and is run in conjunction with Fresenius Medical Care.Haemodialysis has been used for almost 50 years to treat patients with advanced and permanent kidney failure.During treatment, a patient’s blood is channelled through a machine with a special filter to remove waste products and excess fluid.The cleaned blood is then returned to the patient’s body.Through this artificial kidney, the patient’s blood pressure is controlled and the proper balance of essential chemicals, such as sodium and potassium, is maintained.Known causes of chronic or acute renal failure include high blood pressure, diabetes, malaria, kidney diseases and dehydration.A healthy diet with a low intake of salt and fatty foods, drinking plenty of fluids, taking prescribed medicines for chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension and avoiding excessive use of drugs such as paracetamol can help to prevent kidney failure or disease.