Letsholathebe hospital opens dialysis centre
Over 600 patients are on chronic kidney replacement therapy in the form of peritoneal dialysis, haemodialysis and renal transplant in Botswana.
Among them 74% are on haemodialysis, 22% are on peritoneal dialysis whilst 4% are on post kidney transplantation.
This was revealed by the Head of Ngami District Health Management team, Dr Sandra Maripe last week during World Kidney day commemoration at Shorobe Kgotla.
This year’s commemoration was held under the theme “ Advancing equitable access to care and optimal medication practice.
Speaking at the Commemoration Maripe noted that they have partnered with Pholong Centre for Kidney and Dialysis to provide the much needed dialysis services in Letsholathebe Memorial hospital in Maun.
“Prior to this development patients who needed haemodialysis were referred to the nearest unit in Francistown which is 490 km away for both acute and chronic hemodialysis “ said Maripe.
According to Maripe, Patients diagnosed in Maun had to either be transported by Road to Francistown or airlifted at a very high cost.
“Most of these patients were critically sick and some unfortunately died before they could reach the dialysis unit. Those with chronic Kidney disease requiring hemodialysis services had to separate from their families to relocate to Francistown under social welfare support” revealed
Maripe.
The move to Francistown for dialysis services is said to have caused psychosocial disturbances for patients and therefore starting haemodialysis services in Maun has helped some of the patients to reunite with their families.
For his part Dr Mothusi Moloi of Pholong Centre for Kidney and Dialysis revealed that they do not only offer dialysis to patients but intend to raise awareness for early detection to prevent the progression of kidney disease.
“As of November 2023 we had about 45 Patients in Francistown and about 25 of them have since returned to Ngami DHMT. We at Pholong intend to educate both the communities and health practitioners on Kidney disease as we have found out that one of the contributing factors are non communicable diseases like Sugar Diabetes and Hypertension” revealed Moloi.
Moloi urged the public to visit the hospital when they suspect that they might be having kidney problems for early detection and treatment.