I must applaud the quick response to the public’s concerns regarding the Cayman Islands George Town Hospital Dialysis unit by Health Minister Osbourne Bodden.

Following the death of one patient and medical complications in three others who had all received treatment at the dialysis unit over a three day period last week, there were major concerns and conjectures.

Even though reassurances were given by the medical staff here saying the problems were coincidental, the Health Minister knew that was going to satisfy no one.

He sent for Professor Everard Barton, who is the Professor of Medicine and Nephrology at the University Hospital of the West Indies, and the regional expert in kidney disease.

In a statement received from the Health Services Authority it said:

“Professor Barton reviewed patient records, met with doctors, nurses and biomedical technicians, inspected machine service and water quality logs and has concluded that there is no link between the dialysis unit, dialysis treatments, medical or nursing management and those four incidents.

“In fact Professor Barton stated that despite the patients’ challenging and complex co-morbidities, the dialysis treatments and general clinical management in the dialysis unit is exemplary and that the quality of the water and the management of the water treatment system meet international standards of care.”

You can read the whole of the Cayman Islands HSA statement regarding dialysis unit issues published in iNews Cayman under iNews Briefs on August 12 2014 at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/inews-briefs-176/

There was much fanfare at the opening of the new Dialysis Unit at the George Town Hospital in September 2013 and there are many patients that need treatment here.

Dialysis is a treatment that does some of the things done by healthy kidneys. It is needed when your own kidneys can no longer take care of your body’s needs.

You need dialysis when you develop end stage kidney failure –usually by the time you lose about 85 to 90 percent of your kidney function and have a GFR of <15.

When your kidneys fail, dialysis keeps your body in balance by removing waste, salt and extra water to prevent them from building up in the body; and keeping a safe level of certain chemicals in your blood, such as potassium, sodium and bicarbonate helping to control blood pressure.

The new facility is fully equipped to meet the specific needs of nine to 11 patients at a time.

The minister said he hoped that any speculation about the standards or safety of the unit could “now be put to rest”, as staff continue to deliver a quality service for those in need.

As long as there are no more problems, there will be no more concerns.

For now, thank you Mr. Bodden for your quick response.

Now, as for the George Town dump problem ………