Mobile dialysis unit in Kenya brings hope to patients in remote villages

A shortage of dialysis centers in Kenya means patients with kidney failure often have to travel long distances to be treated. Now, an organization is starting to ease that burden with an innovative mobile dialysis unit. The 12-wheeled truck hauls a modern clinic around Murang'a County, offering dialysis to patients who live far from traditional treatment centers. Eliud Mwangi is a 63-year-old farmer from Murang'a County who has been undergoing dialysis treatment since 2021. For much of that time, he faced the challenge of traveling long distances to access dialysis services. The journey, which he had to make twice a week, was both exhausting and costly. On top of that, he often felt nauseous after treatment and endured an uncomfortable ride home. "Let me say that the distance that I had been traveling has been reduced to less than three-quarters. Now the dialysis is near me, less than 20 minutes from my home," Mwangi says. The project has been spearheaded by an organization called Benacare. "We identified critical gaps in access to healthcare for these patients, especially patients who are having to travel like an average of 250 kilometers one way to receive dialysis and then they have to do it twice a week for the rest of their lives," explains Naom Monari, the founder and CEO of Benacare. "We came up with a model of having mobile dialysis and that is mobile hemodiafiltration moving from community to community and offering this service to the patients. And this is the first mobile truck we have launched," she adds. The truck can treat three patients at a time. Although it is small compared to other clinics, it still means scores of people receiving essential care over the course of a week. The mobile unit is also fitted with the latest hemodiafiltration machines, which, Naom says, perform better than traditional dialysis machines. Dr. Jonathan Wala, a nephrologist and the president of the Kenya Renal Association, agrees that the mobile units do have some clear advantages, including reducing the strain on overstretched hospitals. He cautions, however, that they also have their limitations. This article was provided by The Associated Press.