Free dialysis sought for poor renal patients

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kidney Federation of India has appealed to Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy to offer dialysis services free of cost to poor renal patients in government medical college hospitals.



Davis Chiramel, chairman of the federation, who set an example for society by donating one of his kidneys recently, has appealed to the State government to set aside an amount in the coming budget for offering free dialysis services.



At a press conference here on Monday, Fr. Chiramel said that given the nature of the illness, poor patients suffering from renal diseases and who required life-long dialysis or a renal transplant would not be able to sustain themselves unless given financial support.



Fr. Chiramel, who undertook a �Manava Karunya Yatra� across the State from February 10 to promote awareness of renal diseases and to encourage people to donate kidneys to anyone in the family who might require a renal transplant, said the federation had set up its chapters in all districts.



Eventually, these chapters would be able to offer some financial assistance to patients suffering from renal diseases in the respective districts.



The federation hoped to set up a chain of renal medical services where drugs required for renal patients � especially the immunosuppressant medications which helped prevent organ rejection by the body following transplants � could be sold at subsidised rates.



The concluding ceremony of the Yatra will be held at VJT Hall here at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, which would be inaugurated by K.J. Yesudas, musician.



Ms. Sreemathy, Devaswom Minister Kadannappally Ramachandran, Suresh Gopi, actor, and religious leaders will be present.