Parvathipuram: Dialysis units turn a boon to kidney patients

Parvathipuram : Dialysis units working in Parvathipuram Manyam district are a boon to the kidney patients in Parvathipuram and Palakonda as they need not travel to long distances ranging from 40 km to 150 km to have a dialysis.

Due to non-availability of ambulances or any other means of transport, the kidney patients used to face many hurdles to reach dialysis centres in far off places. One has to travel about 80 to 150 km to reach Vizianagaram from Parvathipuram, Gummalakshmipuram areas while people of Palakonda and Bhamini area patients had to travel about 40 to 120 km to reach Srikakulam or Visakhapatnam.

However, the dialysis units were set up in Parvathipuram district hospital and Palakonda area hospital after Covid-19. Now the patients from Gummalakshmipuram, Kurupam, Seethanagaram, Balijipeta and Komarada mandals have been getting dialysis services at Parvathipuram district hospital and those from Palakonda, Seethampeta, Bhamini and Veerghattam mandals are receiving dialysis at Palakonda area hospital.

A person has to spend at least Rs 10,000 per month for dialysis in private facility in addition to medicines. The government has been giving financial support of up to 10,000 to dialysis patients which would be a great relief financially. The Parvathipuram hospital was area hospital so far and now it has been upgraded as district general hospital after the new district is formed. Even the Palakonda hospital has been elevated to the level of area hospital now and more facilities have been provided.

Parvathipuram district medical and health officer (DMHO) Dr B Jagannatha Rao said around 130 persons were receiving Rs 10,000 each per month on medical grounds in the district and the two dialysis centres have been extending services to 66 persons a day.

"We are providing utmost care and quality in treatment to the patients. Now they need not hire ambulance or private vehicle to reach Vizag or somewhere for this advanced treatment,"

he said.