The Israeli Consulate in India, Mumbai and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), involved in relief and charity mission around the world, recently took up the upgradation of the dialysis unit of the largest municipal hospital in the city, KEM Hospital. The consulate and JDC contributed close to US $60,000 for renovating the dialysis ward and adding 4 new dialysis machines.

The 1800-bedded hospital was shortlisted from all the public hospitals in the city, as the donors wanted to allocate the funds so as to benefit the masses in a large way.

KEM Hospital is the single largest municipal hospital that sees more than 1.8 million outpatients and about 68,000 indoor patients annually.

Credited for being the oldest dialysis unit in Western India (1963), the ward has now been upgraded to incorporate 12 dialysis machines from the earlier eight. Also it has been partly renovated to accommodate more patients. All of the equipment and supplies are state-of-the art, and were brought in from Israel.

Among the donated items were four new renal dialysis machines, eight hospital beds, and equipment to upgrade four existing machines. The walls, floors, and ceilings were constructed of special materials and coated with chemicals that reject and prevent bacterial activity.

New electrical and water purifying systems were installed to enable the water to go through a special process that allows adherence to strict sterilization guidelines. New gas and vacuum systems, special lighting, and equipment to upgrade the air conditioning were also put into place.

According to Dr Alan F. Almeida, Professor and Head, Department of Nephrology, Seth G S Medical College and KEM Hospital, “The hospital was shortlisted after the consulate did a thorough survey, so as who would benefit the most from the allotted funds. After seeing the number of patients that throng the department of our hospital and the free services provided to them, our hospital was finalized in an instant. Long-term benefits for the patients were the other criteria that the authorities were on the lookout for.”

With the new installations in place, the hospital will now sideline two dialysis machines from the earlier 1, to specifically treat patients inflicted with Hepatitis B. “It was earlier cumbersome to treat patients infected with Hepatitis B, as they had to wait for long intervals for treatment and also there stood a great risk of the disease being transmitted to the others through blood transfusion. But things should smooth out reasonably with the new additions,” feels Dr Alan.

The remaining 12 machines would be used to treat the other class of patients namely; those with acute renal failure, the ones opting for a transplant, patients whose case is not yet determined and cases of acute drug intoxications among the others. The department does not treat chronic dialysis patients, as it does not facilitate life-long treatment that is advisable to such patients.

Additional machines and a new renovated setup means additional task for Dr Alan who currently is assisted by only a lecturer. Further, shortage of manpower and technical staff might add to the hindrance in providing effective services to the patients. “Currently we are sufficing with the provided staff and have requested for more trained consultants and personnel. Very soon the hospital would be filling the void by including in-house consultants,” clarified Dr. Almeida.

Until now the dialysis unit of the hospital used to see in excess of 5000 patients per year but after the new addition the hospital pegs the figure to rise substantially in excess of 6000 patients per year.