UMM AL QUWAIN // A Dh2 million kidney dialysis unit at UAQ Hospital will make life much easier for people such as Ibrahim Ahmed and his family.
Mr Ahmed has had to drive his father, 70, to Al Qassimi Hospital in Sharjah for dialysis two times each week.
“For the last five years we have had to drive him to another emirate for a dialysis,” he said. “Now he will be happy to have it done here close to his home.”
The new centre, which can treat more than 40 patients each week, is due to open in the next two months, said Sheikha Fatima Al Qasimi, deputy director of the hospital.
“Patients with kidney-related problems are required to do a dialysis about three times in a week and each dialysis takes about four hours,” Sheikha Fatima said. “Then a machine is isolated for an hour for sterilisation. So the new unit would therefore be able to handle from 40 to 44 cases each week.”
Sheikha Fatima said the centre, with 11 dialysis beds, would provide 24-hour services for patients.
The new unit was urgently needed as the UAE had seen a surge in kidney-related diseases. The nation has a high prevalence of diabetes, which is one of the leading causes of kidney failures.
The unit is also part of an upgrade of the hospital to provide better kidney treatment to residents of UAQ and surrounding emirates.
As the oldest healthcare centre in the emirate, UAQ Hospital has suffered from a lack of modern medical services. In 2010 a visiting FNC committee found many improvements were needed.
“The situation is bad. The medical services are substandard, there are massive resignations among staff as job privileges are not satisfactory,” Dr Sultan Al Muezzin, head of the committee on health, labour and social affairs, said at the time.
In December last year, the Ministry of Presidential Affairs opened the new Dh750m Sheikh Khalifa General Hospital in the emirate.
UAQ is not the only emirate in need of more dialysis centres.
The Executive Council identified a need for four dialysis centres in Abu Dhabi in its 2007-2008 policy agenda.
ykakande@thenational.ae