Are there really 1,704 dialysis centres operational in 751 districts?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 1,704 dialysis centres operational across India.
- Part of the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP).
- Free dialysis services provided to the underprivileged.
- Significant rise in kidney disease prevalence noted.
- Support for rural areas in accessing dialysis services.
New Delhi, Aug 1 (NationPress) As of June 30, 1,704 dialysis centres are now functioning across India, according to Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, who made this announcement on Friday.
In a detailed response in the Lok Sabha, Jadhav noted that these dialysis centres, part of the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP), are spread across 751 districts in 36 states.
“The total number of operational centres stands at 1,704 as of June 30,” stated Jadhav.
He elaborated that the government has proposed the establishment of haemodialysis centres initially in all district hospitals, subsequently expanding to Community Health Centres (CHCs) at the taluka level.
This initiative is carried out by the states/UTs based on an assessment of dialysis demand and existing gaps.
“The National Health Mission (NHM) aids States/UTs in executing Haemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis services under the PMNDP, relying on gap assessments conducted by the respective States/UTs through their annual Programme Implementation Plans. Financial support is provided for establishing dialysis services to cater to all populations, including those in remote and tribal areas,” the Minister of State explained.
Launched in 2016, the PMNDP aims to offer free dialysis services to underprivileged individuals. Currently, there are 12,028 haemodialysis machines available, with approximately 28.50 lakh patients utilizing these services. Furthermore, the programme has facilitated 355.46 lakh haemodialysis sessions.
Kidney diseases pose a significant public health challenge in India, particularly as the prevalence has increased from 11.2 percent (2011-2017) to 16.38 percent (2018-2023) among individuals aged 15 and above.
A recent study published in the journal Nephrology indicates that Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is notably more severe in rural regions, affecting 15.34 percent of the population compared to 10.65 percent in urban settings.
CKD arises when the kidneys gradually diminish their ability to filter waste from the blood.