The S P Setia Foundation welcomes the announcement by Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai that the Cabinet had approved an annual allocation of RM12.64 million to provide free erythropoeitin (e-poeitin) injections for poor and underprivileged dialysis patients receiving treatment at NGO-run dialysis centres.
This is over and above the RM50 subsidy already received by some 2,700 poor kidney patients undergoing dialysis treatment.
Providing free e-poeitin injections helps these patients to achieve a saving of RM30 to RM60 for each e-poeitin jab which serves to prevent anemia in dialysis patients.
It is the first right step to take. However it is our hope that the Government will consider to increase its RM50 subsidy in order to help more deserving patients under dialysis treatment in the NGO-run centres in the future.
Being poor is one thing but having to suffer kidney failure and requires three times a week with four-hour dialysis treatment each session is indeed a double tragedy.
Our Foundation is also doing its small part to help the deserving patients in the NGO-run centres by providing them a RM500 monthly subsidy. Even under trying times the Foundation has provided an annual allocation of RM600,000 for this purpose.
About 18,000 persons undergo dialysis at some 454 dialysis centres nationwide and the number is expected to arise to more than 20,000 by next year with 3,500 new patients yearly.
It is indeed an immense problem that the nation has to tackle. In view of this it is all the more necessary to prevent kidney diseases through the adoption of a healthy life-style.
There is also a need to do more to ensure a bigger donation rate of organs such as kidneys for transplant purposes which is the only alternative to dialysis treatment.
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