Thousands of Yemenis with kidney disease require dialysis treatments to keep them alive and well. WHO in partnership with KSrelief continues provisioning health facilities with dialysis equipment, supplies and financial support needed to sustain dialysis for about 3,500 patients across the country.
Jamil Murshid Qassem is a dialysis patient at the Ibn Sina Hospital in Mukalla, Yemen. Since 2014, he has been undergoing twice-weekly dialysis treatments for chronic kidney disease.
“Because I can’t work and have no money, I hope that my dialysis can continue at this center," Jamil continued. And I hope the same for all other patients. All I wish is health and wellness for me, and for them.”
Jamil and at least 3,500 other patients at 27 dialysis centers across Yemen are currently receiving weekly treatments that are 90% to 100% subsidized by WHO, in partnership with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief). Many of these patients must make long, arduous and costly journeys twice a week to reach a dialysis center, receive treatment, and return home.
An average of 37,300 dialysis sessions are currently being provided to Yemeni patients like Jamil every month, at little to no financial cost to them, thanks to WHO’s partnership with KSrelief. Nevertheless, the very high cost of dialysis (almost 50 USD each session), and the morbidity and mortality associated with kidney failure, mean that current needs for dialysis treatments are about five times higher than even this very substantial support can cover.
“I have been working here for eight years, and thanks to WHO we are being assisted in several areas,” explained Adel Muhammed Barakat, head of nursing at the Ibn Sina dialysis center. “We receive solutions that are essential for performing dialysis, so we don’t face shortages. WHO also provides catheters that are expensive for any patient to purchase. This help is very necessary and appreciated greatly.”
“The support from the nurses and doctors here makes me feel like we are one family,” continued Mr. Al-Aqrabi, who undergoes twice-weekly dialysis treatments. “I am very involved in my own care – I always take my medication, and I understand how my body reacts to the dialysis, it is all part of how I look after myself,” he said.
“I neglected my health, and I failed to take the necessary precautions,” said Mr. Mohammed. “I have come to accept the dialysis machine as my lifeline. I have ten children, and I always advise them to take care of their health. Fortunately, the staff at the hospital always make me feel at ease when I am here – they treat me like a brother.”
“We are prepared to accept any patient because all that matters to us is their well-being. So all treatments and services are free," said Dr. Ahmed Al-Askari, director of the Iban Sina dialysis center. He explained that WHO has recently provided four new dialysis machines to the center. “This support greatly reduces the possibility of our having to stop or delay dialysis sessions for patients whose lives depend on them,” he said.
These interventions by WHO, with continuous support from KSrelief, are releasing pressure on Yemen’s overstressed health care facilities, as many arriving patients with chronic diseases are unable to access life-saving treatments.
Story: Nesma Khan & Kevin Cook / WHO-Yemen
Photos: Nesma Khan