TCI: Renal Failure surges in TCI, more nurses needed

#TurksandCaicos, March 19, 2021 – The TCI Hospitals will get two full time nurses for the Dialysis Unit it explained in a media release as a result of that extra funding approved at Cabinet last week. 

Consultant Nephrologist at TCI Hospital, Dr. Vancelee Forbes, stated: “The dialysis unit welcomes this much-needed increase in staff as an interim measure to improve safety and increase the capacity of the dialysis unit at the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Turks and Caicos Islands Government to improve services, including facilitating the growth of the home dialysis program and increasing opportunities for kidney transplantation.”

Chief of Allied Services at TCI Hospital, Eleanor Hall, stated: “We are thankful for the approval of the additional nursing staff for the dialysis unit. The treatment session for a dialysis patient is four hours in duration and occurs three times per week. The additional nurses would help us adjust treatment shifts to better hours, prepare for new patients, and reduce the extended working hours currently required to deliver treatments. The hospital’s senior management team will continue to proactively discuss and seek support from TCI Government on long-term measures to meet the growing patient demand.”

The need for the new staff raises serious red flags about the escalation in people requiring the Hemodialysis Services unit.  Renal failure, more simply put, kidneys which are not functioning properly; unable to filter out waste and toxins from the body, unable to ensure the body stores and then uses vital nutrients from what is consumed and with the inability to function, a machine is employed to do the work for them. 

It was explained: “The increase in the number of patients presenting to the Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital with chronic diseases complicated by renal failure has been the catalyst for an expanded hemodialysis service. There is an average of six to eight new patients per annum who require dialysis treatment. There are 55 patients currently on dialysis across both medical centres, and dialysis is a life-saving treatment.”

The Hemodialysis Services serves clients in Grand Turk and Providenciales.  The increase in patients and the pressures on health care due to the Coronavirus Pandemic required a request for greater support from the Turks and Caicos Islands Government.

“The private health care management company submitted a request to the TCI Government seeking additional infrastructure, equipment, and human resources to support the growing number of dialysis patients. The recent cabinet approval was to recruit two additional full-time dialysis nurses to serve 12 months as an interim measure and on an emergency basis.”

Excessive alcohol consumption is a leading cause for renal failure.  “According to the Pan American Health Organization, chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been identified as an increasing public health issue worldwide and deserves focused attention in the Americas. Globally, diabetes mellitus and hypertension are the major causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). A similar picture is also accurate for the Turks and Caicos Islands,” said the TCI Hospitals in the statement issued Thursday.

There are 55 people across the islands who need this service several times a week and the InterHealth Canada operated hospitals explained, “six to eight new patients are being added annually.” 

Thanks to the recently approved additional human resources by the TCI Cabinet, there will be greater capacity within the department “to cover treatment shifts for the next 12 months. The Hemodialysis Service consists of ten (10) Specialist Nurses and one (1) Dialysis Technician. A full-time Nephrologist supports the service. There are six dialyzer machines and four back-up machines at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre. Cockburn Town Medical Centre has three dialyzer machines and two back-up machines.”