The Ministry of Health and Social Services has confirmed that it is working on a comprehensive care pathway for chronic kidney disease (CKD), including future dialysis services.
Acting Health Minister Dwayne Hixon explained during Tuesday’s parliamentary sitting that the ministry is reviewing proposals and awaiting recommendations from the UK Health Security Agency (HSA).
“The pathway encompasses prevention, case identification and management, including dialysis, transplantation, and other key needs,” he said in response to questions from Opposition member Nyota Mulcare.
The government’s aim is to establish a long-term structure for CKD patients, who are currently referred overseas for treatment under emergency arrangements. Opposition members raised concerns about the sustainability of these costly referrals and the risks to patients when timely care is unavailable on island, to which the acting minister said he hadn’t received a response from the health staff.
The substantive Minister of Health, Dr. Ingrid Buffonge had previously stated that an average of two patients a year die of CKD on island. She is pushing to have dialysis available on Montserrat by December 2025.
The minister acknowledged the challenges, particularly in staffing and equipment procurement, but said CKD was a priority area under the broader Health Transformation Programme.
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