The Department of Health and Wellness is continuing efforts to provide quality health services to patients suffering from kidney-related complications.

Dialysis services offered to renal patients in the south of the island is expected to be enhanced as the St. Jude Hospital recently installed three new state-of-the-art dialysis machines.

Chairman of the St. Jude Hospital Board, Wayne Harrow, said the dialysis machines will assist the hospital in facilitating kidney patients amid the increasing numbers.

“We have increased the number of dialysis machines at St. Jude Hospital, so right now we have nine machines. We have installed three machines: an extra two in the dialysis unit and one in the ICU-intensive care unit. As a result, we are able now expand to the public the number of persons who will be receiving dialysis treatment at St. Jude Hospital. At present, we provide treatment six days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., with four-hour sections per patient.”

Harrow also called on Saint Lucians to make lifestyle changes, so as to avoid being diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.

“Primarily, there must be a public relations exercise where Saint Lucians understand the need to avoid seeking dialysis treatment and start looking after their own care,” he said. “People need to engage in lifestyles that will enable them to avoid the need for dialysis in the future.”

The St. Jude Hospital currently has a total of nine dialysis machines available to the public.