Date:20/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/20/stories/2008112057640100.htm

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Government Rajaji Hospital likely to get 10 more dialysis units

L. Srikrishna

MADURAI: The Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) here will soon get 10 more dialysis units at an estimated cost of Rs.50 lakh, according to its Dean (in charge) S. M. Sivakumar.

Speaking to The Hindu on Wednesday, Dr Sivakumar said that the hospital had four dialysis units, including two installed recently. With more and more patients from the southern districts approaching it for dialysis daily, the administration had decided to have more units. A proposal had been sent to the government for approval.

Based on the approval, the hospital would get them installed through the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation.

The Dean further said that though the number of patients seeking dialysis was pretty high, on an average, 40 to 50 benefited from the existing dialysis units. With the new equipment in place, at least 100 to 150 patients would benefit.

Presently, the GRH provided the facility free of cost. However, it had been proposed to charge Rs.200 per dialysis from a patient with which haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis would be done, Dr. Sivakumar said.

He informed that many private hospitals charged anywhere from Rs.750 to Rs.1,200 and even higher for performing dialysis from the patients. The hospital had successfully performed two kidney transplants last month, he added.