Staff shortage at dialysis unit cripples work

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 16

Owing to shortage of staff, the dialysis unit at the Civil Hospital has failed to cater to the rush of patients. Though one new dialysis machine was installed at the hospital, it failed to recruit the required number of staff to operate these machines.

At present, there are two staff nurses and two lab technicians appointed against four machines. Ideally, there should be one staff nurse and one lab technician against each machine. As a result, the workload on the staff is doubled and many patients have no option but to either wait for many days for their turn or to get their dialysis done from private hospitals for which they have to pay hefty amounts.

On an average, approximately 3-5 dialysis are done daily. Had the staff been sufficient, the hospital could have provided the dialysis facility to maximum kidney patients.

Though the government has introduced a free dialysis service, due to shortage of staff, the service is reached to only a few, while others have to return empty handed. Due to huge pendency, the appointment is given after 6-7 days. Some wait for their turn, while the urgent cases end up paying huge money at private hospitals.

“It takes nearly 4-5 hours for doing dialysis of a single patient. There are only two nurses and two lab technicians, so the unit can only limited number of patients. More staff should be appointed for the smooth functioning of the unit,” said a doctor from the hospital.

Kunti Rani, whose mother-in-law is on dialysis, said, “Today was her turn for dialysis and despite the fact that she had an appointment, she is made to wait for more than an hour as the staff was busy with other patient. It happens almost every time.”

Another patient, Piara Singh from Manuran Jodhan village, said he was told that dialysis was done free of cost at the Civil Hospital, but after coming here, the things were not as rosy as it looked. “Due to huge rush, it was not possible to get done dialysis today. I have been given appointment after 10 days now. I have to wait and hope to get my dialysis done as the cost was high at private hospitals,” he added.