UAE | Health
Hospital refusing expat dialysis patients
Dubai Hospital confirms it has stopped accepting patients because of space constraints.
- By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:04 February 10, 2009
Dubai: Expatriate patients needing dialysis have few er affordable options after Dubai Hospital, a public hospital that handles most kidney cases, closed its doors to them citing lack of space.
Gulf News learned that at least two expatriate patients, a Pakistani and a Filipina, were turned away last week.
Ghosia Razzaq, whose kidneys have failed due to high blood pressure and uncontrolled diabetes, was refused treatment at the hospital last Tuesday, said her family.
Ghosia's niece, who asked not to be identified, told Gulf News they were "angry" with Dubai Hospital for refusing to accept the 44-year old grandmother.
"The kidneys don't ask if you're an expatriate or a local when they fail, so [hospitals] should treat people if they need help," she said, sounding frustrated.
She added her aunt, who she described as being "in a bad state", was referred to a private hospital. But treatment at the hospital would have cost thousands of dirhams, which the niece admitted they could ill-afford.
A doctor there advised them to go to Al Qasimi Hospital in Sharjah, run by the Ministry of Health, which provides dialysis to patients free-of-charge.
One session of dialysis alone at a private hospital costs about Dh900, not including treatment, stay and medication. Kidney patients require three sessions a week to live.
The other expatriate patient, from the Philippines, was also refused treatment at Dubai Hospital recently. The 20-something patient, who suffers from high blood pressure, was accepted at a private hospital after her employer agreed to pay her medical bills.
Dr Abdul Razak Al Madani, director of Dubai Hospital, confirmed to Gulf News that the hospital was no longer accepting expatriate patients for dialysis as the centre was full.
"We are overloaded as it is. The dialysis machines are running three shifts a day," he said.
"I know people are upset but we can't help it. We cannot send away patients we already have to make room for a new one," he added.
The hospital can only accommodate about 100 dialysis patients a day.
There are several options to deal with the shortage. One way is to train patients to conduct dialysis using a portable dialysis unit at home.
Dr. Madani said the renal unit at the hospital would train the patients and provide the fluids to do the dialysis, but added patients would have to buy the unit themselves.
However, few medical supplies companies sell the unit in the UAE.
Another way is to allow kidney transplant surgery to be done in Dubai, the only emirate which has not allowed kidney transplantation between related living donors, either by marriage or blood.
Dr Madani supported having kidney transplant surgeries in Dubai, but said they had to manage with the available options.
Have you or someone you know ever been turned away from a hospital due to lack of space? What recourse did you seek? How can such issues be resolved? Fill in the form bellow to send your comments.
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