Kidney patients in Gatundu Level Five Hospital in Kiambu County yesterday protested over the lack of dialysis services in the past two weeks.

Patients have been camping at the facility for days without being attended to. Lack of dialyzers, AV tubing sets, fistula needles, filters, and disinfectants, among others, has been blamed.

As a result, patients are required to buy some of the requirements.

Francis Gathura is among the many patients who have been making trips for dialysis twice a week. Gathura said he requires more than Sh7,000 every week to buy certain items.

He said that while National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) has been remitting Sh9,500 to the hospital per dialysis session, the facility has failed to acquire key commodities.

“Many who cannot afford the expensive treatment have died as a result while others who are still camping in hospital have contracted other diseases. It’s a serious challenge,” said Gathura.

Jane Wambui said she cannot be able to raise the money to facilitate the dialysis.

“ We are now living by the mercy of God as we cannot afford to go for these services at private hospitals,” said Wambui.

Hospital superintendent Jesse Ngugi acknowledged that the facility had been struggling to acquire the consumables because they rely on one supplier. Ngugi said the hospital was seeking a permanent solution.

“We have had difficulties with our single supplier of the dialysis components but we have already talked to him and he has agreed to supply them,” he said.