Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Professor of medicine and Nephrology, Everard Barton, wants a facility set up for paediatric dialysis, which is crucial in caring for one of the society's most vulnerable groups.

"Paediatric dialysis is badly needed. Chronic kidney failure in paediatrics is a death sentence," said Professor Barton Friday at a meeting called by Health Minister Horace Dalley to discuss kidney disease and dialysis.

"We don't really have any programme for paediatric dialysis in Jamaica (and) I think there should be one, with nurses and doctors who are accustomed to dealing with paediatrics," Professor Barton told The Gleaner following the meeting, held at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston.

The function of the kidneys is, among other things, to get rid of waste products that result from the body's metabolism.

Between 1985 and 2000, 34 children were identified as having chronic renal (kidney) failure. The cumulative annual incidence of chronic renal failure was 3.2 per million children under age 12.

The treatment for end-stage kidney disease is either regular dialysis or a kidney transplant. The process of dialysis takes place in an artificial kidney, which removes toxic substances and waste material from the blood. Currently, Jamaica has three government-assisted or 'public' dialysis units located at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), and the Cornwall Regional Hospital in St. James.

Friday's meeting was also called to explore the possibility of setting up a public dialysis unit in central Jamaica. There are currently two private facilities in Manchester and some patients are forced to journey to Kingston each week for treatment.

Dr. Hopeton Falconer, consultant physician at the Mandeville Regional Hospital was one of the major proponents of such a facility.

"What tends to happen is that a lot of our patients are sent to KPH and they say they cannot afford it because they have to charter a taxi (because most are too ill to take other public transportation)," he explained.

"I think if we are going to make an impact, we will be better served to put stations in central Jamaica," said Dr. Falconer.

There are currently 410 persons on haemodialyis in Jamaica and about 700 persons on the waiting list. As such, the Ministry of Health announced sometime ago that it would be doubling the capacity at the KPH.

Currently, the hospital sees 75 patients, twice per week on two shifts. Each patient spends four hours on one of the 15 machines that are available at the hospital. This is, however, far below international standards which stipulates that each patient should spend about 12 hours.

Dr. Trevor McCartney, senior consultant general and vascular surgeon said before doubling the capacity, the ministry should maximise what is already available and increase the number of shifts to three. But this was said to be problematic as there is currently a shortage of nurses to man the machines.

The hospital is seeking to train nurses in this area.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com