DPH spends $5 million yearly for dialysis treatment

The Department of Public Health spends $4.9 million every year for the care of 51 renal dialysis patients in the Commonwealth Health Center, or about 10 percent of DPH budget.

However, this does not include the cost associated when patients are brought off-island for further treatment when complications get serious. Sixty-five percent of those under dialysis are diabetics.

According to Dr. James Hofschneider, the financial burden of shouldering the cost of the treatment for people who undergo dialysis is placed under the responsibility of the government which is already suffering from the budgetary constraints.

Speaking before participants in culture and health symposium, Dr. Hofschneider said there has been an 18.5 percent growth over the past five years in the number of people undergoing dialysis treatment due to diabetes.

Due to the high cost of medical treatment on diabetes, he asked the public to become more conscious of their diet, control their blood sugar since diabetes may lead to kidney malfunction.

In the CNMI, people start dialysis treatment at a younger age or only 50 years old, compared to 61 years of age in the United States. A diabetic who is on dialysis has an average rate of survival of two-and-a half years.

“Kidney failure is a common problem among people with diabetes. When you undergo dialysis, your whole life changes because it is a painful process,” he added.

Unfortunately, the people’s lifestyle on the island has drastically changed that the kind of food intake has been intertwined with the island’s culture.

According to Mozdeh Bruss, one of the founders of CNMI Food and Nutrition Council, the whole attitude about food for sustenance has shifted to the idea of it as a source of pleasure.

This was mainly due to the shift from agriculture to manufacturing and service which has made people’s access to food so easy. Food is a major link in diabetes and without maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, then the complications of the disease will eventually happen.

“Once you’re on dialysis your quality of life changes because you always have to go to a place where there’s a dialysis machine. You will have to stay at home most of the time,” said Ms. Bruss.

Efforts to change lifestyle of the community does not rest on the individual alone, it should always be complemented by efforts of the community, she added.