WE THE PEOPLE
SKIMS’ Nephrology department overloaded, needs more dialysis machines and sophisticated water plants
Hence people urge government to set up more Nephrology Centres with adequate gadgets to meet growing demand of patients
By: Rameez Makhdoomi
Srinagar: The department of Nephrology is the only tertiary care centre for Kidney diseases in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. It is a centre where all the known renal replacement therapy modalities like Kidney transplantation, haemodialysis (HD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis are available to the patients. In addition to the various renal replacement therapies and in-patient services, the department has its own ward laboratory, run outpatient services. Nutritionists provide diet counseling and advice to both admitted and OPD patients. The department is actively involved in the under-graduate-training programme for Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Medical College and post-graduate training at SKIMS itself and also the department is actively involved with continuing medical education programmes run at different levels in the institute. There are four post-graduate guides in the department, who guide three post-graduate students of one to three year seniority per head. This has given a tremendous boost to the research activity of the department, which is headed by Dr. Saleem Najaar.
Although the department presents an optimistic outlook, yet much needs to be done to improve some crucial areas. When this correspondent of ‘Mirror of Kashmir’ arrived in Nephrology ward, patients and their attendants passionately expressed their views. Heavy flow of patients has to be dealt with by the Nephrology Department of SKIMS every day, as experts and studies suggest that the Nephrology related complications and ailments in the valley have steeply risen over the past few years, due to un-balanced diet, High blood pressure and increase in diabetes disease. Ironically, in the whole of valley of Kashmir, the Nephrology department of SKIMS is the only hope and source of treatment for those who have one or the other Nephro related ailments.
The bed strength of 20 in the Nephrology Ward also looks miserably much less and as such more space, more doctors and more Units are required to meet the expectations of people. Ziaudin, a patient attendant said, “The flow of patients is tremendous and number of doctors attending patients need to be increased and more nephrology centers need to be set up to meet the growing number of nephrology related diseases in our valley.” Gulam Muhammad, a patient echoed the same sentiments.”The Nephrology Department of SKIMS is the only hope for the populace of valley; but it is regrettable that the official apathy is continuing as further nephrology related units are not set up in other parts of valley,” said Gulam Muhammad. The patients and their attendants also point out that strength of just twenty beds is too insufficient for a crucial department like nephrology.
Ali Mohammad, a patient attendant said, “The bed strength in nephrology ward is much too low and needs to be increased manifold so as to meet the expectations of patients. After twenty beds are occupied the others who require beds are left with no hope”. The other side of mirror presents much optimistic outlook, as one and all praise the sympathetic and concerned attitude of doctors. Nazira, a patient said, “The treatment and care provided to us by doctors is exceptional as they are very much tender in their attitude and visit us on regular basis.” Neelofer patient attendant said, “No doubt the bed strength is low and there is heavy flow of patients, but the attitude and considerate outlook shown by doctors is exceptional.”
The total numbers of dialysis machines in the Nephrology ward are just four, but all of them are functional. Ground reality suggests that the number of these dialysis machines is quite low and need to be substantially increased for the betterment of Nephrology department. Qayoom Wani, a patient attendant said, “The number of dialysis machines should be increased as one machine can suffice for one patient at a time, while the other patients who would also be requiring dialysis direly would have to suffer. The water plant operating the dialysis machines is also not much sophisticated and needs to be upgraded.”
The cleanliness and sanitation of the Nephrology ward meets the desired norms and standards. Even the patients and their attendants testify this optimistic veracity. Fatima, a patent attendant said, “The cleanness and sanitation is quite impressive here. Special care and efforts are taken by the authorities to ensure cleanliness is maintained. Overall the cleanliness parameter meet the desired expectations.” Nazir Ahmad, a patient said, “On regular intervals of time, the cleanliness is carried out .The overall cleanliness and sanitation is up to the mark.” Similar feelings were echoed on this aspect by other patients and their attendants present in the Nephrology ward. But patients and their attendants had a complaint against the SKIMS administration, as they say that the Lift-System of the hospital is more often than not non- functional. Gulam Nabi ,a patient attendant said, “The lift of the ward is non-functional ,as the nephrology ward is located in the fourth floor,we have to face many difficulties due to non-functioning of the lift.”
While talking to this correspondent of Mirror of Kashmir, Dr. Saleem Najaar, Head of Department (HOD)-Nephrology said, “We are diverting all our energies and efforts to make the Department Of Nephrology an example of excellence .No doubt, the number of dialysis machines need to be increased substantially and through your esteemed medium ; I would like to say that just after fifteen days we would be doubling the number of dialysis machines as our requisition for the same has been accepted . We are also soon going to have a foreign sophisticated water plant that can at one time cater to twenty dialysis machines, while the current water plant had just capacity to cater to four or five machines and was not much sophisticated. The government needs to wake up and setup further Nephrology centers and units, as SKIMS alone cannot meet the huge flow of patients with kidney related ailments, especially in past few years the numbers of patients with such ailments have steeply increased, mainly due to our un-balanced food habits. We are already twenty five doctors in the department which is the upper ceiling for any department concerned, according to prescribed laws and norms .So setting up new Nephrology centers can be the way ahead. I would also like to appeal that a patient should be accompanied not by large number of attendants, so that we can function smoothly.”
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