Mauritius: A Digital National Renal Registry aiming to improve data collection of patients on Haemodialysis in the country was launched today, by the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal, at the Victoria Hospital in Candos. The launching of the Registry is in line with activities to mark World Kidney Day 2023, observed on 09 March. A workshop is also being organised to elaborate on organ transplants.
The theme for this year is ”Kidney Health for all – Preparing for the unexpected, supporting the vulnerable”. Elaborating on chronic kidney disease, Minister Jagutpal pointed out that it is a progressive loss in kidney functions over a period of months or years, affecting one in ten people worldwide.
The Digital National Renal Registry, he indicated, in line with the Health Sector Strategic Plan 2020-2024 as well as with the Government’s vision of enhancing E-Health in the country, will be efficient as there is limited data collection regarding the total number of patients on Haemodialysis and the number of dialysis sessions carried out in the country. The Renal Registry will also be instrumental in the success of organ transplants in the future, he added.
Dr Jagutpal also dwelt on the different dialysis services available in Mauritius for kidney diseases. He mentioned that the country presently has seven Dialysis Centres in all Regional Hospitals, a Dialysis Unit at Long Mountain Hospital since March 2021 and a new Dialysis Unit at New Souillac Hospital since March 2022, and six Dialysis Centres in the Private Sector.
He pointed out that the total number of dialysis patients in January 2023 stood at 1,460, with 1,234 patients in Government Hospitals and 226 patients in Private Clinics. “More than 180,000 dialysis sessions were performed in Government Hospitals in 2022 and more than 35,000 in Private Clinics”, he said.
The Minister reiterated Government’s commitment to offering better treatment to dialysis patients and to those living with kidney problems. The measures include the setting up of a New Dialysis Unit with 50 dialysis machines at the SSRN Hospital; a new Dialysis Unit with around ten machines to be included in the new Bel Air Mediclinic project; the extension of the Dialysis Unit of Victoria Hospital to accommodate 50 more machines; a new Dialysis Unit equipped with 50 dialysis machines will be integrated into the New Flacq Hospital; and replacement of all dialysis machines which are more than 10 to 12 years old.
Dr Jagutpal further observed that after the installation of 90 new dialysis machines purchased in 2021, a total of 210 dialysis machines were available in all Hospitals until last year. “New dialysis machines have also been installed in all the ICUs at the five Regional Hospitals and at the ENT Hospital’’, he said, adding that 80 more dialysis machines have recently been procured at the cost of Rs 28,8 million by the Ministry and that the commissioning of the equipment is in progress in all hospitals.
The setting up of a Renal and Transplant Unit at Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital financed by the Government of India to the tune of some Rs 550 million in Rose-Belle was also highlighted by the Minister. The works are expected to be completed by September 2024, he stated.
To this end, he indicated that Professor Nizam Mamode, who is a consultant in Organ Transplant from the NHS Foundation Trust in the UK, has been contracted by the Government to help set up this unit. He pointed out that Professor Mamode has carried out eight Renal Transplants and is planning to do more transplants during his stay in Mauritius.
He underlined that two General Surgeons are currently being trained by him, adding that two to three more General Surgeons will be joining soon. Another Transplant Surgeon namely, Dr Rajasekhar Perumalla, from Chennai, was in the country in October 2022 to perform three renal transplants at the Victoria Hospital, he added.
