SIALKOT: All the six dialysis machines have been dysfunctional and waiting for their proper functioning for the last four months after their installment at Daska Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Civil Hospital.

Medical Superintendent Dr Muhammad Asghar told Dawn on Thursday the main reason behind the delay in the functioning of these dialysis machines was the non-availability of nephrologists, technicians and staff nurses there.

He said the Punjab Health Department had provided these machines without sanctioning the posts at the Daska THQ Civil Hospital, due to which these dialysis machines could not become operational.

He added that now the Punjab government has sanctioned these seats, however, the final approval by the finance department was still awaited in this matter. He said that this hospital’s urologists and other technical staff had completed their three months necessary training to run these machines.

The medical superintendent said that now the hospital management would make these dialysis machines operational within next couple of days as trained urologists and other technicians would run them unless nephrologists joined them.

He said that now the local kidney patients would be treated at the local level.

In Daska, there is no dialysis treatment facility available at any government hospital for the local kidney patients, who are at the mercy of the private hospitals.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2019