Biggest dialysis centre in state facing constraints

Patients undergo dialysis, with help and support from the nurses.

MIRI: The Malaysian Red Crescent (MRC) Miri Chapter’s Kidney Dialysis Centre (KDC) has been helping hundreds of patients over the last 20 years of its existence.

It is understood that the patients require an average of 38,000 dialysis treatments annually.

As the largest dialysis centre in the state and one of the modern centres in northern Sarawak, the Miri MRC KDC acts as the receiving end for local patients who are unable to get dialysis elsewhere.

However the centre faces constraints in getting equipment to enhance its services and lessen the financial burden of patients, despite it having efficient staff and modern facilities.

For example, the Accuvein Vein Visualisation System (AccuVein) has not been incorporated into its standard of care, so patients with damaged veins or fistula failure have to go to hospitals in Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur to get their veins scanned.

Recently thesundaypost interviewed officials of the centre and the club to know more about their operations.

Fundraisers to buy equipment

Realising the urgency, the Inner Wheel Club of Miri takes the lead to raise over RM19,000 to buy the AccuVein.

Club president Trinnah Estiva, who suffers from damaged veins, knows such urgency.

“We endure pain when getting treated for damaged veins with the cost of dialysis posing a burden, especially to poor patients.

“To undergo a vein scan in Kuching, for example, a patient needs at least RM2,000 for the flight, accommodation, food and someone to accompany them. Each treatment costs about RM120 per person,” she said.

AccuVein is a small device that digitally displays a map of the vasculature on the surface of the skin in real time, allowing clinicians to verify vein patency and avoid valves or bifurcations.

(From second left) Jurip and Assistant Minister for Tourism Datuk Lee Kim Shin, who is also Miri MRC KDC chairman, at a launch of the latest communications service at the centre.

It enables more effective venipuncture with less patient discomfort which accounts for why many dialysis centres incorporate AccuVein into their standard of care.

Trinnah Inner Wheel raises funds from the public by holding car boot sales — the most recent one began last Sunday in Lutong — and writing to corporations and individuals besides seeking funds from Inner Wheel District 331 (Singapore, Sarawak and Kota Kinabalu).

“We appeal to the people to support the project, one of our community services to the people,” said Trinnah, who is also a patient at Miri MRC KDC.

Those wishing to help can call her at 016-862 3056, MRC Kidney Dialysis chief operating officer Jurip Ngaop at 085-419526 or MRC Miri at 085-411121.

According to Jurip, currently 17 patients out of the total 313 require treatment for damaged veins.

“We welcome the public, as well as those from NGOs (non-governmental organisations) like Inner Wheel to assist us in providing the best treatment for patients and also to meet the increasing number of those with kidney problems,” he said.

On average, 313 patients require a total of 4,000 dialysis treatments in a month, or three to four sessions a week.

“For example in May this year, 3,599 dialysis treatments were done and in 2015, we had 41,509 (treatments); in 2014, it was 38,471. Last year, we had 32 new patients and so far this year, (there are) 18 new patients.

“The number keeps rising. Initially in 1996, we had only six patients — in 2006, the number rose to 131 and this year, 313,” he said.

Over 86 per cent of patients need financial assistance.

MRC honorary secretary Tan Lay Yen said with no government grant or funding, the centre had to depend on public donations and medical fees from patients. Some patients were fortunate enough to have their treatments being paid for by their employers, which include the government.

“Our annual expenditure is very high — about RM68 million — to cover the salaries for our 73 staff members, as well as to pay for medicines, solutions, accessories and related services and facilities.

“Currently, we have 78 dialysis machines — making our centre the biggest in Sarawak.  We recently purchased machines for haemodiafiltration for patients with heart disease and those of old age,” he said.

Tan said to cater for the increasing number of patients, a new centre would be built in Tudan soon to accommodate 40 patients.

What is dialysis?

Dialysis is the process of eliminating waste and water from the blood via the process of diffusion. The kidneys do this naturally but those with damaged kidneys need a dialysis machine.

Records at the centre shows that diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure) predispose to kidney failure; thus the centre educates the public on health awareness.

The worrying trend is that people aged 30 to 49 make up a high percentage of those suffering from kidney disease. Currently, three patients are below 20, but the relatively good news is eight are above 80.

Without dialysis or proper treatment, patients risk early death.

Trinnah (second right) and her Inner Wheel team members being briefed by Dayang Reta Abdullah, who is Miri MRC KDC nursing superintendent in charge of monitoring a 81-year-old patient, Joseph Bilal.

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