Doctor to donate 14 dialysis machines

A Dubai-based doctor is donating 14 dialysis machines to help the growing number of kidney failure patients in his home state of Kerala in India. The dialysis units, costing Dh819,288, will be set up in government hospitals in the 14 districts of Kerala and the dialysis will be done free-of-charge for the poor, said Dr K.P. Hussain, CEO of the Fathima Healthcare Group. Initially the units will be set up in Ernakulam District and five more will be installed at Wayanad, Manjeri, Tirur, Vadakara and Kozhikode. Diabetes Article continues below The doctor said diabetes is the main cause of renal failure and that the number of diabetics in his country is growing at a staggering rate. "There are 20 million kidney failure patients in India and only 400,000 are given dialysis daily," he said. Dr Hussain is calling on all social groups and the Indian embassy and consulate in the UAE to join in the charity project and help provide assistance to monitor the patients. He said a lack of awareness about diabetes and a shortage of dialysis facilities is compounded by the fact that there are only 900 nephrologists (specialists in kidney disorders) in the whole of India. The doctor said kidney transplants cannot be done because there are very few kidney donors due to again a lack of awareness. "At the moment we can just maintain their kidneys," he said.