Ahmedabad: Bringing huge relief to covid patients in need of dialysis, the Institute of Kidney Diseases & Research Centre (IKDRC) has pressed into service a free dedicated ‘Mobile Dialysis Van’ to assist hospitals in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts.

The mobile dialysis van has been conceptualised keeping in mind increasing number of covid positive patients in need of dialysis getting admitted in scores of hospitals spread across Ahmedabad vis-à-vis Gujarat. The ‘mobile dialysis van’ is equipped with a dialysis unit, portable RO booster water system, multi-para monitor, defibrillator, consumables and technical staff trained by IKDRC. There is another set of dialysis paraphernalia including a dialysis machine kept in the van to attend to a simultaneous assistance call from another hospital while attending to the first call at a hospital.

“Increase in covid positive dialysis patients at temporary covid hospitals compelled us to think about free mobile dialysis van service to help patients and hospitals at doorstops to preclude commuting problems to a dialysis centre and back to hospital,” Dr Vineet Mishra, Director, IKDRC-ITS. Due to availability of a single mobile dialysis van, the institute has confined itself to serviceable areas of adjoining districts of Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad, Dr Mishra clarified.

As per the data available from dialysis centres operated by IKDRC under Gujarat Dialysis Programme (GDP) close to 500 covid patients thronged these centres for dialysis every month since corona pandemic hit the state in March last year. At the same time, standalone hospitals who have been converted into covid hospitals also reported a considerable jump in covid positive patients in need of dialysis during their hospitalization.

“It is practically impossible for a standalone temporary covid hospitals to equip themselves with dialysis facilities as it incurs additional costs and may remain unused once corona pandemic subsides,” added Dr Mishra explaining the unique concept for mobile dialysis van. Dr Mishra added that mobile dialysis van will act as a quick response mobile assistance to help individual covid hospitals to get free dialysis facilities for their patients till corona pandemic gets over.

Mobile Number for Mobile Dialysis Van, I.K.D.R.C @ 6357376868