Petrol prices 'threatening rural dialysis patients'

[okarol]

Petrol prices 'threatening rural dialysis patients'

Posted Sun May 25, 2008 8:30am AEST

Kidney Health Australia says the rising cost of petrol is threatening dialysis patients in regional Australia.

Two thousand people across the country have to travel to dialysis three times a week.

Some are spending hours travelling, and are entitled to financial reimbursement of just 13 cents a kilometre if they travel more than 75 kilometres.

Anne Wilson from Kidney Health Australia says the patients have enough to deal with, without adding the burden of petrol prices.

"Really what Kidney Health Australia is doing is calling for a bit of a review of the petrol safety net to ensure that people in this category can still attend their lifesaving treatment, because otherwise they die," she said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/25/2254815.htm