LAHORE, Sept 15: The number of kidney patients in the country is increasing at an alarming rate of 15,000 a year, Governor Khalid Maqbool was informed during his visit to the Sheikh Zayed Hospital here on Monday.

Naphrologist Prof Dr Tahir Shafi, in his briefing, said government-run hospitals (in the country) offered dialysis to 2,500 patients only.

He said poor patients undergoing hemeo-dialysis at the SZH faced financial problems as Zakat and Baitul Maal contribution was meagre.

According to the naphrologist, 25,000 renal failure victims needed hemeo-dialysis thrice a week. He said Rs12,000 was spent on the dialysis of a patient every month.

Dr Shafi said wrong medication, diabetes, hypertension and use of herbal recipes like ‘Kushta’ were major causes of renal failure.

The governor was also briefed about the future plans of the hospital that included extension of the Kidney Centre Project which was approved in 1998 but yet to go into operation.

The governor said that he would ask the Zakat Council chairman and philanthropists to provide financial assistance to dialysis patients.

He visited other wards, included general surgery, medicines, cardiovascular, paediatric and pathological laboratories like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

Speaking to the hospital management, the governor promised to secure NoC from the Labour Ministry regarding the functioning of the kidney centre. He asked doctors to do justice to their duty.

Talking to reporters later, Khalid Maqbool said the construction of dams and canals was inevitable for country’s progress. He said those fanning controversy over the water issue should better work for the development of the country.

Talking about the University of Health Science (UHS) performance, he said some elements were making it controversial without any reason. He said he would ask the Punjab Medical College board of governors chairman to persuade protesting students to appear in the examination under the UHS.

The governor also advised the hospital doctors to do private practice in the hospital in the evening.