The Kidney Hub, Suva. Fiji
The Kidney Hub in Suva, was established for the benefit of kidney patients around Fiji. Since their inception they have consistently promoted awareness of the disease, provided the means of treatments of life-saving dialysis for patients in complete kidney failure at stage 5 of the disease. In recent years, an increasing number of patients have been screened and diagnosed for Chronic Kidney disease leading to an escalated demand for dialysis treatments. The Kidney Hub does its best to provide all the services and vital resources to patients who range from children to the elderly. Patients are from all walks of life and recently some regional patients have sought care at the Hub.
Nephrologist Dr. Amrish Krishnan and his team work tirelessly in their efforts to maintain the facility, its services and resources. Approximately twenty thousand Fijians suffer from Stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease and are unaware of it. Chronic kidney disease is now one of the leading contributing factors to the mortality rate in Fiji. Stats indicate that approximately six hundred to nine hundred people in Fiji, newly develop complete kidney failure at stage 5 of the disease. Only 10% of these are able to access dialysis treatment each year due mainly to its astronomical cost. The standard requirement is 3 four-hour sessions per week for any dialysis patient. The cost of one treatment is approximately $200-$250.00. Three treatments per week would amount to $600-$750 which sadly, most kidney patients in Fiji cannot afford. Families that support patients are often pushed to reduce treatments to twice, even to once per week. Most patients who reduce their treatments, are unable to rid their bodies of all the toxins and end up being more sick and eventually add to the mortality rate.
For many patients who cannot afford the costs of dialysis, Dr Amrish does his utmost to enable them treatments. He himself is directly involved in fundraisers, appeals and often gives from his own pocket just so that another person can have their life saving dialysis treatment. The Kidney Hub also helps with transplant patients with sourcing the hospitals, travel arrangements and all other factors that contribute to saving a life of one who has chronic Kidney Disease
When Dr Amrish first established the Kidney Hub, he did so especially for children whose families could not afford the high cost of dialysis. He operated the clinic with skeleton staff, limited number of machines and provided treatments around the clock. His patients were in the lower income bracket and here, he witnessed first hand how dire the need was to have dialysis treatments accessible to everyone who needed it. Many had succumbed to the disease only because they could not afford treatments. Today he runs the Hub and envisions that affordable kidney care and dialysis treatments will be made available to as many Fijians and Pacific Islanders as possible. These past months of the pandemic, Dr Amrish and his dynamic team have encountered many bleak and unprecedented predicaments. Because they have responsibility to their patients and are dedicated to their vision, they encourage and support each other during these trying times.
During the current pandemic outbreak, people with underlying conditions of kidney disease are at a higher risk of fatality when infected with Covid-19. Moreover, the mortality rate for dialysis patients in other centers around the world is noted to be as high as high as 28% which means that one in four dialysis patients infected with Covid-19 may die.
Fiji has been hit extremely hard with the pandemic and incoming funds for the Kidney Hub and its patients are at a standstill. In an effort to highlight an awareness of the work that they do and too, raise some much needed funds to help with the everyday essentials of the hub. I would like to highlight their cause in the hopes that together we can enable lifesaving dialysis treatments for more patients living with Chronic Kidney Disease.
If you would like to contribute to the care of Kidney Patients in Fiji, please DONATE NOW to add your contribution. All monies collected will be disbursed to The Kidney Hub in Suva, Fiji.
Thanking you in advance for your help towards this vital and very worthy cause.