Zimpapers Logo

Andile Tshuma, Chronicle Reporter
GOVERNMENT has started offering free dialysis services at public hospitals, bringing relief to kidney patients.

In an interview yesterday, Mpilo Central Hospital Clinical Director Dr Solwayo Ngwenya said the dialysis procedures will be offered for free at Mpilo and other public hospitals with immediate effect.

He said Government was making efforts to reduce the mortality rate amongst people suffering from renal failure as many could not afford to pay for the service.

“We would love to inform the public that Mpilo Central Hospital will be offering free renal dialysis services to everyone courtesy of the Government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Health and Child Care. The patients should register at the Mpilo Renal Unit to receive these services. This should go a long way in reducing the burden of renal diseases on the patients and reduce mortality,” said Dr Ngwenya.

He commended Government for prioritising health services, which he said would improve access to health.

“This shows that the current government is prioritising improving access to health services and this is highly commendable. As health experts, we always encourage government to invest in health and such a development shows that seeds of hope are budding in the health sector and we continue on this trajectory, a lot will be achieved,” said Dr Ngwenya.

The Mpilo Clinical Director said unequal access to health services in Africa had to be addressed as it led to a high mortality rate.

“We lose way too many people unnecessarily in the health sector in Africa due to failure to access health services. Such efforts will enable the health sector to improve and also people to have better access,” he said.

Dr Ngwenya said the hospital was working on setting up a 24 hour on call service to be able to serve a lot of people as he was expecting more people to come seeking renal services after they were made free.

“Since dialysis procedures are now available free of charge at our renal unit, we expect to have an influx of patients coming in so we are currently in the process of setting up a 24 hour service for us to be able to cater for a lot of people in a day,” said Dr Ngwenya.