Kamuzu Hospital dialysis unit ‘shuts down’: Kidney patients moved to Queen’s Hospital

Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe  has shut down its dialysis unit because its machines are not functioning, putting lives of patients with renal failure and other kidney problems at risk.

About 37 patients suffering from chronic kidney failure from KCH have since been moved to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre —the only other public hospital with dialysis machines—to access the service.

KCH spokesperson Chiyanjano Kazombo confirmed that the country’s major referral public hospital was unable to help patients because of non-functioning  10 machines.

Kazombo said KCH cannot assist the kidney failure patients and have taken  them to QECH for kidney dialysis services.

“The engineers have been notified and they will be arriving in the country one from South Africa one from Kenya they will be arriving one today and the other one on Friday to try and fix the machines but also the dialysis water plant,” said the publicist.

A  dialysis is an important machine for people suffering from kidney failure as it can lead to saving and prolonging their life.

Kazombo said the hospital management is doing everything possible to ensure maintenance of the machines is done as quickly as possible.

Kidney Association of Malawi  recently  asked government to consider providing kidney transplant services in the country’s hospitals as there are some kidney failure patients who have got donors willing to provide kidney transplants.