The newly built Artificial Kidney Unit at the PGIMER, Chandigarh is now functional and will be inaugurated by the Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Shri P.K.Pradhan on 17 December, 2011.
This unit has a large hemodialysis area which currently has 21 hemodialysis machines. Another four hemodialysis machines are available in a separate room where patients with hepatitis B/C infection will be provided dialysis ( to prevent spread of these infections to other patients). Thus the unit currently has 25 hemodialysis machines. Three of these machines have the capability to carry out conventional dialysis as well as “slow low efficiency dialysis” which is required for critically ill patients. Within the next few months, another five machines will be purchased.
Hemodialysis is being done in two shifts daily with a third night shift for emergencies. The unit is air conditioned, has uninterrupted power supply and a state of the art Fresenius water purification system. It is also equipped with two Renatron dialyser reprocessing machines.
The unit also has a separate room for Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis and a minor operation theatre. This new unit will significantly enhance our dialysis capacity since we earlier had only 11 hemodialysis machines.