New dialysis unit to double patient capacity

Dialysis unit project inaugurated at Lahore General Hospital.

LAHORE: A Rs15 million project to upgrade the dialysis unit at Lahore General Hospital will double its patient capacity, said Post Graduate Medical Institute and LGH Principal Prof Anjum Habib Vohra on Sunday.

He was addressing a ceremony to mark the inauguration of work on a building at the hospital for the dialysis unit, which is to be complete in three months. Prof Vohra said that the upgrade would give the hospital the largest air-conditioned dialysis unit in the country.

He said that the project was being supported by the LGH Anjuman Behboodi-i-Marizan (ABM). He said that the new unit would have 26 dialysis machines, 10 more than before. He said that the unit currently had a capacity of 150 and many patients were on the waiting list. The upgraded unit would be able to cater to twice as many patients, he said.

Dr Vohra said that there was no dearth of philanthropists in Pakistan. “We can effectively promote the culture of philanthropy in our country by collecting and spending donations in a transparent, trustworthy and systematic manner,” he said, adding that the LGH was doing so in its use of ABM funds.

Professor of Urology Dr Ahmed Salman Waris said that a one-time dialysis costs up to Rs3,000 and many patients have to undergo this treatment twice or thrice a week.

He said the LGH was providing this facility free of cost to deserving patients.

Dr Athar Hameed, who is in charge of the dialysis unit, and ABM office bearers also attended the ceremony.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2012.