Members of the Bhutan Kidney Foundation in New York donated a dialysis machine and a water filter to the Gelephu Central Regional Referral Hospital (GCRRH) on November 11.

The members also donated three more water filters, one to the Kidu guesthouse in Thimphu and two to Mongar Regional Referral Hospital.

Bhutan Kidney Foundation’s founder, Tashi Namgay handed over the machine and filters to GCRRH.

He said the foundation has over 200 members in New York who raised a fund of Nu 1.2 Million to donate equipment for kidney patients. “We still have funds left and we’re looking for needy ones,” he said.  The dialysis machine costs over Nu 900,000.

Gelephu hospital has 23 kidney patients who require dialysis. The hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr Tapas Gurung, said that although the hospital already has three dialysis machines, the fourth one was much required. “With increasing number of patients, we require more dialysis machines,” he said.

He said that by beginning next year, the hospital would shift to its new structure. “In the new hospital building, at least six dialysis machines are required. We need two more machines.”

According to the latest figures maintained by Bhutan Kidney Foundation, there are 168 people on dialysis in the country of which 66 people aren’t able to go under kidney transplant because of their age limit of 60 years.

Nirmala Pokhrel | Tsirang