Remote and outer island communities in Fiji are poised to gain significantly from expanded kidney care services, as The Kidney Hub is set to launch a comprehensive outreach program this year. Dr. Amrish Krishnan, the director of The Kidney Hub, emphasizes the rapid prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), which affects about 10 percent of any population. Given Fiji’s population exceeds 930,000, this results in over 93,000 individuals potentially living with CKD, with roughly 930 of them at risk of progressing to kidney failure.
Many individuals residing in remote areas remain undiagnosed due to limited access to testing facilities, underscoring the importance of early detection. To tackle this issue, The Kidney Hub plans to implement point-of-care creatinine testing in outer islands before mid-year. This innovative approach will allow healthcare providers to assess kidney function directly on-site, avoiding the delays associated with sending samples to mainland laboratories.
Dr. Krishnan explains, “We are planning to conduct point-of-care creatinine testing in the outer islands before mid-year. This approach allows us to test kidney function on-site instead of sending samples to the mainland. Once we identify people with kidney failure, we can work with them on appropriate treatment plans.” This immediate testing capability is significant for timely medical intervention.
Moreover, Dr. Krishnan aims to decentralize specialist kidney services, including dialysis and other necessary treatments, bringing them closer to island communities. “I hope that we can eventually decentralize specialist services, taking dialysis and other treatments out to the islands. You might ask, ‘How do you do that without machines or electricity?’ But there are treatment methods for kidney failure that require very little technology,” he notes.
This initiative not only aims to enhance access to essential healthcare services but also hopes to alleviate the financial and emotional toll on families that currently face the burdensome task of traveling long distances for treatment. The proactive steps taken by The Kidney Hub signal a promising development for kidney care in Fiji’s remote communities, paving the way for improved health outcomes and quality of life.
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