PETALING JAYA, 1 Oct: The State government will appoint more private dialysis centres for the Selangor Health Dialysis Panel with a target of 20 per year.

The Exco for Health, Welfare, Family and Women’s Affairs, Dr Daroyah Alwi, said that this resolution was taken to help more kidney patients who cannot afford treatment.

“Those suffering from this disease have to undergo dialysis treatment three times a week with a total of 12 to 13 times a month or depending on the chronic degree of the patient.

“Because this treatment is essential, welfare programmes like this are planned to reduce the cost of treatment and the burden of patients,” she said.

She said this after the Selangor health Dialysis Panel Launching Ceremony in Renelteam Dialysis Centre.

Also present was the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Mayor, Mohd Azizi Mohd Zain.

The 2014 statistics released by the Malaysian ministry of health (MOH) recorded a total of 17,781 patients suffering from kidney disease in the state.

Attentive to the situation, Daroyah said that the state government is subsidising dialysis treatment and other treatments to kidney patients of up to RM5,000 a year.

She said that the subsidy application may be made through the Selangor Health Assistance Scheme.

“This assistance was introduced since 2009. In addition to dialysis assistance, minor surgeries, cataract, prosthetic and so on can be applied for.

“I hope that the people can take advantage of this opportunity because it is the desire of the state government for the people of Selangor to live healthily and to be free of chronic diseases,” she said.

NS