Kidney Foundation improves services

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Tuesday July 24th, 2012

KIDNEY patients will soon have better treatment and care in regional and provincial hospitals, Health secretary Pascoe Kase says.
Kase said in addition it would save money for those who had to seek treatment overseas.
He made the announcement during the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Kidney Foundation and the department yesterday in Port Moresby.
Kase said the agreement was to establish a partnership and mechanism to facilitate the establishment of renal dialysis treatment and care units throughout the country.
“This agreement will facilitate for awareness and education programmes on preventative measures of kidney ailments,” he said.
Foundation president Martin Poh said it had already brought in two dialysis machines and accessories, which would be presented to the Port Moresby General Hospital.
“In addition to equipping, selected hospitals, with dialysis machines, the foundation will be carrying out awareness programmes about kidney diseases and how it can be prevented,” Poh said.  
The foundation will help in the training of Papua New Guinean doctors and nurses.
Through the agreement, the foundation agreed to provide kidney dialysis treatment through government and church-run hospitals, with a long-term target of about 10 dialysis machines in each of the provinces.
“It has taken a while but I believe this is the beginning of a partnership that will provide better and affordable health service to Papua New Guineans,” Kase said.