Preserving dignity on dialysis

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Today, as the world observes World Kidney Day, it is worth pausing to reflect on the quiet and often unseen struggle faced by thousands of Jamaicans living with chronic kidney disease and the dedicated professionals who care for them.

Kidney disease has become a growing public health concern in Jamaica. Estimates suggest that hundreds of thousands of Jamaicans live with some stage of chronic kidney disease, while thousands depend on dialysis simply to sustain their lives. For these patients, dialysis is not another routine medical appointment; it is the thin line between life and death, repeated three times each week.

Many patients wait and hope for access to Government-sponsored dialysis programmes because, without assistance, the cost of treatment is far beyond the reach of the average family.

The financial burden associated with dialysis remains painfully heavy. A single dialysis treatment can cost approximately US$120, and patients typically require three treatments per week in order to remain medically stable. For many families, this cost is simply unsustainable. As a result, some patients receive fewer treatments than doctors prescribe.

The burden does not end with dialysis itself. Patients must also cover the cost of medications, laboratory tests, specialised diets, and transportation to treatment centres several times each week. Taken together, these expenses place enormous strain on already vulnerable households and raise an important question about dignity in access to life-saving care.

At the same time, dialysis practitioners work extraordinarily long hours to ensure that this essential service remains available. During major storms and hurricanes, dialysis centres across the island frequently operate throughout the night, opening their doors at two or three o’clock in the morning so that patients do not miss treatment.

These nurses, technicians, and physicians are unsung heroes whose compensation should reflect the critical and demanding nature of the work they perform.

We often say that “he who feels it knows it” and anyone who has lived with kidney disease understands that truth.

As Jamaica marks World Kidney Day, we must remember that dialysis is not merely a medical service. For thousands of families it is the difference between life and death, and the dignity with which we provide that care will ultimately define the compassion of our society.

Over to you, Dr Tufton.

DOUGLAS LEVERMORE