Government advancing nephrology services to treat patients living with kidney disease

The government is intensifying efforts to strengthen nephrology services in Guyana by expanding dialysis access, providing financial assistance and improving transplant care for patients living with kidney disease.

These initiatives were highlighted on Monday during a conference held ahead of ‘World Kidney Day’, under the theme “Caring for People, Protecting the Planet.”

The event aimed to raise awareness, encourage dialogue and improve care for people affected by kidney disease.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, said the observance provides an opportunity to highlight the growing burden of kidney disease in Guyana and the measures being taken to address it.

He noted that several services are already available for patients with kidney problems, including dialysis; however, the government is seeking to expand access.

“At the moment, some of the facilities where we have dialysis are operated with external partners…Going forward, we have been working to introduce dialysis in some of our public hospitals,” the minister stated.

Dialysis chairs will soon be activated in the six newly constructed hospitals. He added that 15 new dialysis machines will also be strategically placed in regional hospitals to broaden access to treatment.

“We believe that this is necessary given the challenges that we are seeing with some of the patients,” he said.

The government increased financial assistance for dialysis patients to $600,000 annually.

Previously, individuals received a one-off payment of $350,000 and were not eligible for further support.

“That has changed,” Minister Anthony said, before stating that, “Now every year we are seeing a lot of persons coming forward to get assistance.”

Currently, some 650 patients are benefiting from the financial support, which allows them to choose their preferred dialysis provider.

The health ministry is also collaborating with treatment centres to ensure patients can access necessary laboratory tests through the public health system, as a result of the government’s investment in national testing capacity.

Despite these measures, Minister Anthony stressed the need for greater focus on preventing the progression of kidney disease.

“A lot more work needs to be done to delay the onset of chronic kidney failure,” he said, noting that patients must be supported more intensively to prevent the condition from worsening.

Guyana has also made progress in kidney transplantation. The transplant programme, which began in 2011, has expanded in recent years. “We are now one of the leading transplant centres in the Caribbean,” the minister emphasised.

New legislation and regulatory systems have also been introduced in the past four years to strengthen oversight of transplant services. Hospitals must meet strict standards before they can be licensed to perform procedures.

Currently, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) is the only hospital licensed to carry out kidney transplants. The ministry is working with other institutions to ensure they meet the required standards.

Minister Anthony added that the government intends to expand specialised services beyond the capital to regional hospitals as the health system continues to develop.

Globally, kidney disease affects one in ten people, with roughly 800 million living with the condition. Experts warn it could become the fifth leading cause of death by 2040.

While four million people currently require dialysis or transplantation, access remains limited. This growing burden prompted the World Health Organisation (WHO) to prioritise kidney disease as an urgent global health concern at last year’s 78th World Health Assembly.