Kidney Patients Compelled to Depend on Foreign Drugs

[okarol]

Kidney Patients Compelled to Depend on Foreign Drugs
 
THE HIMALAYAN TIMES Online
Kathmandu, November 25

Ratna Tamrakar, 40, got his kidney transplanted four years ago in India. Thanks to unavailability of prescribed medicines here, he has no option except to bring medicines from Switzerland.
No different is the plight of other kidney patients. As only a handful of medicines are available in Nepal, there is no option left for the patients except to manage to bring chunks of foreign medicines they need. Medication after kidney transplantation is costlier. Though the price of medicines varies, some medicines cost as much as Rs 20,000. The frightening fact is that medication should be continued throughout life after kidney transplantation.
"I have no complications even after four years have passed since I underwent kidney transplantation," Tamrakar said. But not all people are lucky like him. In many cases, patients get easily infected and die. Some suffer from physical deformities.
"Restrictive nutritional habits are a must for those who have undergone kidney transplantation. Otherwise, patients may either die or become physically disabled," said Dr Rishi Kumar Kafle, nephrologist and director of the National Kidney Centre (NKC). Speaking at a patient awareness programme, organised on Saturday by the NKC with support from Panacea Biotec, a pharmaceutical company marketing medicines for kidney patients in Nepal, Dr Kafle said taking medicine regularly and adopting nutritional habits can help patients live a healthy life.
According to nutritionist Rashmi Shrestha, restrictive nutritional habits include maintaining body weight and keeping blood sugar and cholesterol level under control. "Fast foods, preservatives and food containing sugar should be avoided," she said.
Eye specialist Dr Sanduk Ruit said a person could lose eyesight if he/she develops blood pressure or diabetes. "Cataract operation in such cases can be risky," he said. According to him, the chances of developing cataract post transplant were 30 to 70 per cent depending on the type of medicines and the amount the patient is taking.
Cardiologist Dr Yadav Bhatta said the chance of kidney patients, who have undergone kidney transplantation, suffering from heart disease is 15 per cent. The chances of these patients suffering from cerebrovascular diseases is five per cent. He said the patients should be active physically and give up unhealthy habits.
Dr Kafle urged the government to set up a revolving fund to help kidney patients. "The fund will be a great financial relief for the patients. It will be a sustainable solution in comparison to the government practice of providing financial assistance to some needy patients for their treatment," he said. The government provides financial assistance for a few needy individual for the treatment of cancer, heart and kidney diseases.

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