The Kozhikode unit of the Kerala Municipal and Corporation Staff Association has extended a helping hand to 10 kidney patients within the city limits who needed immediate help with dialysis.
“Most patients need dialysis at least thrice a week, and it costs around ₹,3000 every time, including medicines. And they will not be able to go for work that day,” says T. Subaida, member of the association who is attached to the corporation’s health wing.
Based on the data available with the health wing, there are 10 to 12 kidney patients in every ward. Out of them, at least 80% need dialysis regularly. Half of them are of in the 40-50 age group and sole bread winners of their families and most of them are daily wage workers who cannot afford to miss a day of work for dialysis.
The kidney patients largely depends on the district panchayat’s ‘Snehasparsam’ programme under which they get ₹250 aid for every dialysis. The ‘Karunya’ scheme of the State government was good while it lasted, as a patient could get dialysis done for ₹600 while it cost around ₹1,000 otherwise.
The association deposited the money required for dialysis during the lockdown in the bank accounts of each of the selected patients.
“We could not afford to support more than 10 persons. We chose them after much scrutiny,” Ms. Subaida said, not hiding the expectation that their action would inspire others to help more people who needed dialysis.
