Cheques to Dialysis patients from next week- Health Minister

The Ministry of Health is looking to commence the distribution of cheques to dialysis patients from next week, according to Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony. As such, he is urging persons to sign up with the Ministry to benefit from the programme.

“We are right now in the process of registering those patients so anyone who knows of anybody who needs dialysis, can get them to register with the Ministry…but we want people to come in and get themselves registered,” he said during an interview on Friday.

Dialysis is a procedure to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys stop working properly. It often involves diverting blood to a machine to be cleaned.

The Government of Guyana in its 2022 National Budget, allocated $180M to introduce a Dialysis Support Programme to finance up to $600,000 per annum worth of dialysis treatment for each dialysis patient in Guyana. Those who qualify are patients who are diagnosed with end-stage renal failure.

Dr. Anthony pointed out that while some Non-Governmental Organisations are subsidizing the cost of dialysis for patients, it is still challenging for someone who has to get dialysis atleast three times per week.

Patients are asked to visit the Ministry of Health or contact the office on 225-0113. To register, patients must present themselves with a valid form of ID and a valid medical report to support dialysis.

“We of course will have to validate that that person is actually on dialysis or was recommended for dialysis so a medical document to verify that will have to be produced. So, once we have that and the person’s biodata, then we’ll have to put them on a database and we’ll be able to issue them with the funding,” Dr. Anthony said.

The programme forms part of the Government’s support to vulnerable groups.