Governance
PM National Dialysis Programme
- 24 Oct 2019
- 3 min read
Recently, the Health Ministry issued guidelines for establishing peritoneal dialysis services under the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme.
- The guidelines are expected to benefit the 2 lakh Indians who develop end-stage kidney failure every year in India.
- There are two main types of dialysis namely- Hemodialysis, and Peritoneal dialysis.
- In peritoneal dialysis, people will have access to the treatment option that could be performed at home (as in hemodialysis, treatment needs to be performed at a designated dialysis centre).
- The peritoneal dialysis avoids the substantial costs of infrastructural set-up, maintenance, and staffing; reduces the demands placed on the healthcare system, and offers patients the autonomy to be at home. Consequently, the decision to include peritoneal dialysis under the ambit of the PM National Dialysis Programme was finalized.
- Mass-based peritoneal dialysis programmes have the potential to substantially bring down the cost of treatment.
- The move is also expected to benefit children suffering from kidney failure who need dialysis treatment because of biological and lifestyle reasons.
- Also, paediatric haemodialysis facilities are scarce in India.
- The guidelines will also serve as a comprehensive manual for states intending to set up peritoneal dialysis centers.
- This will ensure the delivery of high-quality and cost-effective services and develop a clinically-safe and effective programme.
Dialysis
- Dialysis is a treatment that does some of the things done by healthy kidneys. It is needed when one develops an end-stage kidney failure.
- Dialysis maintains balance of body by:
- Removing waste, salt and extra water to prevent them from building up in the body.
- Keeping a safe level of certain chemicals in your blood, such as potassium, sodium and bicarbonate.
- Helping to control blood pressure.
PM National Dialysis Programme
- The programme was announced by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in 2016 under the National Health Mission (NHM) in PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model.
- It aims to provide free dialysis services to the poor.
- The first phase of the programme envisaged setting up of hemodialysis centres in all districts of the country.
- Financing:
- For Below Poverty Line (BPL) economic group: 100% expenses are directly covered under NHM by the government.
- For non-BPL patients: They can get treated at the district hospitals by paying the same rates as paid by the government for the BPL patient.
