Government is set to construct a new full-fledged Renal Transplant Unit at the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital so that more patients can have a dialysis-free life and eliminate the issue of kidney impairment.
The Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal, made this statement, on 23 September 2023 at the Holiday Inn Mauritius Mon Tresor hotel, during the opening ceremony of an international seminar on Kidney Updates.
The President of the Renal Association of Mauritius, Dr Mahesh Rughooputh, and other personalities were also present at the event which was organised by the Ministry of Health and Wellness in collaboration with the Renal Association of Mauritius.
Minister Jagutpal highlighted that the Renal Transplant Unit will be a three-storeyed building of some 8,600 square metres comprising operation theatres, renal transplant wards, a dialysis unit, an outpatient unit and associated hospital facilities. He indicated that Government is investing massively to expand dialysis facilities across the country as evidenced by the project for a new dialysis unit at Victoria Hospital to accommodate around 300 patients. The New Flacq Hospital, he observed, will be equipped with 50 dialysis machines and a similar project will be implemented at the SSRN Hospital.
Speaking about Kidney Updates, Dr Jagutpal underlined the importance of focussing on the full spectrum of chronic kidney disease from the early to the late stages so as to reduce progression and ensure that the increasing number of patients who reach kidney failure are adequately prepared. He pointed out that is also key to establish a Kidney Patient Education and have a trained support team to provide lifestyle advice, counselling, and psychological support.
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Furthermore, the Health Minister informed that, as far as kidney transplantation is concerned, Government is aiming to relaunch the live donor transplantation and to establish a deceased donor programme while maintaining the highest international standards. He emphasised the need to strengthen and benchmark the provision of high quality, patient-centred and safe curative services in line with international best practices by encouraging exchanges with global medical and nephrology institutions.
Minister Jagutpal, moreover, stressed on the necessity to generate sound and reliable information at all levels of the kidney health system in a holistic approach for better decision-making through, amongst others, the National Renal Registry and a kidney patient data system integrated with e-Health.
