Hardap, ||Kharas need dialysis equipment

Anwar Thomas writes:

After sharing experiences of our journey to access quality dialysis treatment that is only available in Windhoek for people of the two southern regions, we now wish to share those experiences and issue a clarion call on our government.

Although we appreciate the health care services given to us, we however access these services at a great cost and discomfort to us and our families.

We have also noted that it is only four regions of the country's 14 regions that do not have the vital dialysis treatment centres and thus call on our government to bring this much needed health services to the two regions.

Further, that we have engaged a philanthrophist, a son of our soil who is prepared to join the government through Public Private Partnership (PPP), to bring this vital health care services closer to the people.

The well-known business mogul Johannes !Gawaxab says his company, Eos Capital, has offered to set up and finance dialysis equipment in the Hardap and ||Karas regions in a Public Private Partnership arrangement with the Ministry of Health and Social Services to improve the quality of lives of people who need this treatment, but is yet to receive feedback in this regard. The proposal was made months ago.

The two southern regions are without this life saving treatment facilities of the country's 14 regions. Both public and private patients on dialysis ­treatment from the southern areas had to travel to the capital to access dialysis therapy. Dialysis treatment is a vital method for patients with ­end-stage kidney disease. The only treatment for those patients is a ­kidney transplant or dialysis treatment.

Due to community ignorance and fear of stigmatization all our interviewees elected to remain anonymous for this media article.

Apart from putting strain on household finance, dialysis is an expensive treatment costing the government about N$3 000 per patient per treatment. Patients travelling from the South all the way to Windhoek however have to cough up transport and accommodation cost in Windhoek out of their own pockets.

A well-known roads constructor from Keetmanshoop said the effects of travelling for dialysis treatment is not only costly, but also affecting his business adversely.

“My foreman will not run my business as I should, hence daily deadlines are not met and construction industry is about timely handover of projects” he stressed.

He added he adapted to the costly live of financially catering for two houses, albeit in fortunate position than those in less privilege situations.

On treatment for two years now, he said the excessive travelling is counter-productive for the treatment therapy, as rest periods are interrupted by travelling time.

The businessman said that he receives treatment with 17 other patients from the //Kharas region, of whom some elected to live in Windhoek's informal settlements to receive regular treatment.

Asking, what makes dialysis treatment therapy expensive, he noted that the number of patients in need of the therapy is adding up and called on government to set-up a dialysis treatment centre in Mariental in the short-term.

At least three to four dialysis treatment machines will alleviate the suffering, he added.

A Mariental businessman, operating a guesthouse, says his business is also taking the strain financially due to his constant bouts of absence.

Receiving treatment in Windhoek twice a week, he says he is paying only for lodging in Windhoek as government's medical aid that he is a member of refunds his petrol expenses. However, expenses by the medical aid fund for petrol which amounts to about N$5 000 per month can be diverted to other patients needing treatment. Dialysis treatment can be short-term as patients' kidneys improve, but can also be a lifelong treatment.

Another dialysis patient said he is supposed to travel from his home town of Hoachanas every week for treatment. However, he said he had decided to permanently stay in Windhoek in a shack as he cannot afford conventional lodging facilities.

We also spoke to a patient from Maltahöhe in southern Namibia who said he has migrated to Windhoek as he cannot afford to travel weekly to Windhoek. He was complaining about the appalling conditions at his ghetto in Windhoek. He too cannot afford decent accommodation.

A patient from Rehoboth said she is travelling to Windhoek every day for dialysis treatment. "It is very costly as I am a state patient and cannot be refunded by a medical aid fund. It's a struggle indeed”.

Another pensioner couple of which the wife is on the dialysis treatment has “moved” to Windhoek and now live in an old age home for the past two years. "In our case financial implications aside, our bodies could no longer absorb the stress of travelling, hence we have adapted to the semi-nomadic life style.

“Imagine temporary relocating to Windhoek at this age, we have left our live history. Most dialysis patients are in an advanced age, but some are affected at a tender age.

The pensioner couple are now renting at an old age home in Klein- Windhoek, inflicting damage on their life savings.

!Gawaxab says he stands ready to join hands with government to bring dialysis health care closer to the people. However, his efforts to link up with the Ministry of Health and Social Services management through its executive director has born no fruits as he did not respond to his communications with him.

The southern-born philanthropist, who recently also built a more than five million dollar church building for the Evangelical Lutheran Church community at Mariental, said he is prepared to purchase the necessary equipment for dialysis treatment at Keetmanshoop and Mariental, but the government must meet him halfway in terms of nursing personnel and health facilities.

“I want to see a win-win situation in order to help bringing the people of the south also into the mainstream health care system”, the executive chairman of Eos Capital and chairman of the economic panel of the president concluded.