Kuala Lumpur, 15 June 2020 - The National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia (NKF) has gone above its call of duty for kidney health − providing assistance to the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) and equipping patients through a health Webinar during this challenging period; displaying both heart and innovation!
The leading non-profit organization, who has been providing subsidised dialysis treatments in Malaysia for over 30 years donated medical supplies to MOH that included surgical gowns, personal protective equipment (PPE) and face masks as well as 17 haemodialysis machines, to ensure that proper treatment and care are given to the kidney failure patients. In addition, NKF also provided treatment at their dialysis centres to patients that were referred by the government hospitals.
"The Covid-19 pandemic has led to an overwhelming number of patients in government hospitals and we recognise the urgency to respond and act swiftly to address the country’s needs at this critical time. This initiative is in line with our organization’s commitment to holistic care and by extension to help Malaysians, particularly the most vulnerable kidney failure patients and the frontline healthcare personnel who brave the storm carrying out their duties," said Dato' Dr Zaki Morad Mohamad Zaher, Chairman of NKF Malaysia.
Throughout this pandemic, haemodialysis still needs to be carried out for kidney patients, requiring trained staff to deliver the four-hour treatment to patients, three times a week. As life and treatment goes on, precautionary steps must be taken to ensure the health of their frontline healthcare personnel as they continuously assist patients with their treatments.
"Amid such tough circumstances, we hope that the assistance we provided will help reduce the risks of exposure as well as ease the burden of healthcare workers so they can focus their energy on managing the Covid-19 cases at their respective hospitals. Together, we can fight against COVID-19 and save lives!" Zaki added on.
While our country emerges from movement control restrictions and looks forward to economic recovery, the Covid-19 pandemic still poses a threat to Malaysians. This is especially so for vulnerable groups including those with weak immune system and chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on dialysis treatment.
Hence, NKF embraced the New Normal with full force by recently organising its first ever Webinar –adhering to social distancing and public health guidelines – which focused on the role of CKD patients in taking charge of their lives during the pandemic. It featured nephrologist Dr Rafidah Abdullah from Hospital Putrajaya, who empowered webinar attendees with practical and relevant medical insights.
Key areas covered included how patients should keep themselves safe and healthy during the Covid-19 outbreak, while also maintaining kidney health in terms of medical treatment and everyday living – with emphasis on avoiding infections.
She also shared medical guidelines for CKD patients covering both dialysis treatment and kidney transplants. The informative online event was completed with a lively and engaging Q&A session between Dr Rafidah Abdullah and patients, plus caregivers who participated. This public health webinar was organised by NKF in partnership with Roche Malaysia.
Members of the public who are interested in contributing towards the organisation's efforts for dialysis patients can find out more through NKF’s website at http://www.nkf.org.my or call 03-7954 9048.
