Friday 29 November 2013

The Prince Abdul Majeed Center for the Treatment of Kidney Disease in Jeddah is about to be opened, said Sami Badawood, director-general of Health Affairs in Jeddah. "The equipment and medical supplies for dialysis treatment are currently being brought in," he said. The three-story center, which cost about SR28 million, has a capacity of 150 beds and can accommodate 900 patients. It includes 140 dialysis devices and provides medical, therapeutic, social and awareness services to patients with renal failure.

The center is located at King Fahd General Hospital in Jeddah, where 18 nephrology consultants, 35 resident physicians and specialists and 280 nurses work in 16 specialized clinics designed to receive and treat kidney disease patients daily. Badawood confirmed that the old center in Jeddah's Al-Baghdadiah District will be closed and its services will be directed to other health services. The center's workforce will be shifted to the new center, he added. The new center is expected to admit 30-40 patients in need of renal dialysis and other related services daily.

Dr. Wael Taher Habhab, nephrology consultant at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Jeddah, said the prevalence of renal failure has increased globally. This is due to the increasing incidence of diseases that cause kidney failure, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. A lack of awareness among patients with these diseases has also played a role in increasing incidence rates. Habhab suggested that patients should constantly monitor their health to help detect early renal failure. Habhab said 51,000 patients with renal failure are registered with the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation.

There have been major developments in the field of kidney transplantation in the Kingdom in recent years, said Habhab, pointing out that King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Jeddah has transplanted over 91 kidneys last year with a 98-percent success rate. However, many patients prefer to perform the operation outside the Kingdom. Patients who have had surgeries performed irregularly abroad in non-sterile conditions and were quickly discharged from hospitals often come back to the Kingdom with major complications. Around 70 to 80 percent of cases coming from abroad report complications, Habhab said.

© Arab News 2013