Dialysis machines held up in port for 16 months

A renal healthcare official has disclosed that donated dialysis equipment from the US, which can help save the lives of many kidney patients in this country, have been held up and transported between TT ports for the past 16 months. Chairperson of the Renal Care Centre of TT, Janie Kimcaid, was one of the guest speakers at the Kappa Drugs customer awareness series at the Chamber of Commerce, West Moorings, on a Renal Awareness Programme when she disclosed the information. She said millions of dollars in dialysis machines and other equipment had been donated by a number of renal healthcare facilities across the US to help TT patients. Prime Minister Patrick Manning in his Budget presentation announced that two new dialysis facilities will be opened for kidney patients. An ambulance was also donated since last June to the Renal Centre of TT, but that too is among the items that cannot be removed from the port. “I hope the equipment can be released as they can help save many lives in TT,”she lamented.

“Help is on the way,” she reassured the large turn-out of attendants at the seminar, “but we cannot do anything to help people unless those four containers are released.” Kimcaid told Sunday Newsday that in addition to the equipment, a back-up generator for the dialysis machines, as well as equipment for eye patients for an entire opthomology clinic, are being held back for shipment if the current dialysis equipment are not released. She said she has held discussions with the President Hon Maxwell Richards and Health Minister, John Rahael, on the issue and has been reassured that they are doing all they can to help out the situation. She indicated that in her last discussion with Rahael, he told her that the documents for release were before the Ministry of Finance and the matter was being attended to. Kimcaid, while aware and grateful for all the assistance that she has been receiving from the relevant authorities, wants to know exactly why the equipment isn’t being released. “With all the people in TT dying with kidney diseases, you have to wonder, where is the compassion,” she said.

She pointed out that the Renal Centre had to spend TT$35,000 for the transfer of equipment from the Port of Point Lisas to the Port of Port-of-Spain, noting that this was unfortunate since the equipment was donated free of charge in order to help suffering kidney patients in TT. The equipment has been transferred back to the Port of Point Lisas once again. The Renal Care Centre of TT plans to expand its facilities to  Centeno, Arima, in order to accommodate a 30-machine unit to treat 270 persons. “All of these plans cannot come on stream unless we get the equipment and we have more equipment coming, but that too cannot be shipped unless the containers are released,” said Kimcaid. Managing Director of the Centre, Chan Maharaj, is upset about the situation, pointing out that the entire scenario is all about bureaucracy. He said they have been meeting with top officials in both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance, but nothing has come out of discussions. “In the meantime, kidney patients are suffering and you have to wonder how serious Ministry officials are about health in this country,” he said. Minister Rahael could not be reached for comment.