MUSCAT: The new dialysis centre in the Wilayat of Al Amerat became operational, Muscat Governorate Directorate-General of Health Services at the Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday.
The centre comprises five dialysis rooms that can accommodate 48 patients.
Dr Thamrah bint Said al Ghafriyah, Director-General of Health Services in Muscat Governorate, said the number of kidney failure patients is on the rise mainly due to an unhealthy lifestyle which causes non-communicable chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.
Muscat Governorate has six dialysis centres in Baushar, Seeb, Amerat, Qurayat Hospital, the Royal Hospital and the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital all of which provide medical services to kidney failure patients from all governorates. A total of 156 patients are currently undergoing dialysis on a typical day.
The new dialysis centre works on morning and evening shifts. The morning shift starts at 7 am and ends at 2:30 pm and the evening shift starts at 2:30 pm and ends at 10 pm from Saturday to Thursday.
In addition to its therapeutic role, the centre also strives to increase awareness of the risk of non-communicable diseases and their impact on the kidneys and the ways of preventing kidney failure.
It is noteworthy that the dialysis centre in the Wilayat of Al Amerat was opened in March of this year. It is located at Al Nahda Health Centre and occupies a 1,300 square metres area. Following its soft opening in March, only two of the five dialysis rooms became operational but the need has arisen to operate the three remaining dialysis due to the increase in patients number.
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