Patients with kidney disease receive hemodialysis treatment in Wuhan, Hubei province, on Feb 25. [Photo/Changjiang Daily]
Officials said that 16 of the designated hospitals for the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak can provide hemodialysis in Wuhan, capital city of Central China's Hubei province and epicenter of the epidemic in China, according to a report in the Changjiang Daily.
In Wuhan, there are currently nearly 10,000 patients who need hemodialysis treatment. Since the outbreak, some hospitals were requisitioned as designated hospitals for patients with the virus and dialysis treatment was suspended.
Officials said Wuhan No 4 Hospital had added 15 sets of medical equipment for hemodialysis.
According to one of the beneficiaries, who wished to remain anonymous, before the outbreak she was receiving hemodialysis treatment at a hospital in Hanyang district for a long time.
But the hospital was selected as a designated hospital for coronavirus treatment on Jan 27. Except for fever clinics, the clinics of all the other departments have been closed.
She was then admitted to Wuhan No 4 Hospital.
Except for a special disinfection day, the general dialysis room in the hospital’s Gutian campus is open six days a week, handling an average of about 150 patients a day.
On Feb 18, the Wuhan Health and Medical Commission announced the city's list of hospitals for the treatment of coronavirus patients, including 16 hospitals offering hemodialysis treatment.
Officials said that currently, the number of dialysis machines in the special dialysis room for coronavirus patients in the Gutian campus has increased to more than 40.
On the evening of Feb 24, the Bethune Charitable Foundation, together with the Chinese Non-government Medical Institutions Association, convened 21 medical and technical staff to form a hemodialysis medical team to head to Wuhan.
