The Uva Provincial Health Ministry today said it
feared that a majority of the 3,000 kidney patients now receiving treatment
might be dead within the next six to ten months. “Some 3,000 kidney patients
are receiving medical treatment in Uva Province and their lives are at risk,”
Uva Provincial Health Secretary Sandhya Ambanwala said. She said the
investigations carried out by doctors, university professors and health
ministry officials had revealed that the disease was caused by the use of
arsenic, pesticide and chemical fertilizer.
Meanwhile, a majority of ordinary patients suffering from chronic
renal failure in the North Central, North Eastern and Mahaweli B zone areas had
to buy costly drugs from pharmacies to be used in the dialysis
machines.Although the Health Ministry spends around Rs.3,500 million annually
for the treatment of nearly 30,000 kidney patients, adequate funds had not been
allocated to purchase drugs required for renal dialysis treatment,Health
Ministry sources said.
North Central Province Medical Officer (Planning) Dr.Dammika de
Silva told that the patients had to purchase the required drugs from private
pharmacies and due to this many patients were compelled to neglect the
prescribed treatment. Dr.de Silva said that hundreds of people living in Madawachchiya,
Padaviya, Kebethigollawa, Elahara and Mahaweli B Zone are seeking medical
attention due to chronic kidney failure.Although medical experts were of the
view that ,cooking in aluminium pots,illicit liquor brewed with agro-chemicals
and drinking water without boiling were the cause for chronic kidney failure.
Referring to the preventive programmes,Dr.de Silva said that the
root cause for kidney failure had not been detected and mismanagement of
preventive programmes introduced had also aggravated the rapid spread of the
disease.Even though the spread of kidney disease was on the increase so far no
action had been taken to conduct scientific research with the assistance of
international medical experts.Local and international medical experts had substantiated
that high content of fluoride in the water was not the cause for chronic renal
failure.
Preventive programmes and research work were mismanaged so that
new cases had increased.Clinical management on kidney patients left much to be
desired.If the health authorities fail to take appropriate action to prevent
the spread of the disease there will be thousands of new patients in another
five years time. Health authorities warned. He noted that babies born to kidney
patients could have deformities.Purchasing drugs for renal dialysis machines at
subsidised prices could relieve ordinary people from neglecting treatment.
