Kidney treatment comes to Katima

A newly inaugurated kidney and dialysis specialist centre in Katima Mulilo will offer free screening to about 5 000 patients within the next 24 months as part of giving back to the community.This is according to Dr Glendah Kalunga, owner of Kidney and Dialysis Specialist Centre, who made the announcement during the official inauguration of the facility last week.The facility was officially inaugurated by health and social services minister, Kalumbi Shangula.“As part of opening our special Kidney and Dialysis Specialist Centre, we would like to offer screening to 5 000 patients in Katima over the next 24 months, free of charge,” Kalunga said. Kalunga said that the centre will offer diagnostic services for kidney disease in the form of kidney biopsies and therapeutic services in the form of dialysis treatments.Dialysis treatment is the process of removing toxic waste from the blood through the aid of a machine.The centre will also prepare patients for possible kidney transplantation.Prior to the establishment of this centre, people in the Zambezi Region suffering from kidney failure were forced to either relocate to towns at which the kidney treatment services are provided, or spend heavily on transport every week going to those towns on a number of weekly trips.Patients would travel over 500 kilometres to Rundu which is the nearest, or embark on the 1 200-kilometre journey to Windhoek for the service.However with the establishment of this centre, this is a thing of the past.Expressing his profound gratitude, Shangula said he is pleased to see that health professionals in the private sector are taking much- needed services closer to the people.“I am pleased now that this service is in Katima Mulilo and I am confident that the new facility will radically improve the quality of service and infrastructure for patients and staff. The government through the health ministry is happy to partner with such doctors in delivering health services to every part of the country,” Kalumbi said.Kalumbi revealed that Namibia has more than 300 confirmed cases of people suffering chronic kidney disease who are currently on treatment.Kidney disease is set to become more prevalent as undiagnosed hypertension or high blood pressure becomes more common.The centre currently has two machines however it can accommodate up to eight, and treat up to 96, patients if used to full capacity.KENYA KAMBOWE

Kidney treatment comes to Katima

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-04

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Kidney treatment comes to Katima

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-04

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