Free and subsidised dialysis service providers in Chennai
This article highlights the availability of free and subsidized dialysis services in Chennai provided by organizations like the Tanker Foundation and the Chennai Lions Dialysis Foundation. It details how these NGOs and the Greater Chennai Corporation are working to reduce the financial burden of chronic kidney treatment for low-income patients.
Why it matters
Access to affordable dialysis is a critical public health necessity in India, where the high cost of recurring treatment often leads to financial ruin for families managing chronic kidney disease.
It was after a stint in Canada that nephrologist Georgi Abraham decided to start a dialysis centre at Chennai in the mid-2000s.
The Tanker Foundation Dialysis Centre started in a humble way at Georgi Abraham’s father-in-law’s house on Poonamalee High Road as it was lying vacant.
As the number of patients seeking dialysis began to shoot up, the Foundation sought a space at Rotary Ambattur Hospital where it got started on the initiative with five machines. Today, the upgraded hospital has 26 machines with 127 patients seeking dialysis under its care.
In the last two decades, this initiative to provide dialysis for patients twice or thrice a week has grown to serve people from various parts of Chennai and beyond. Dialysis is offered either free or at a subsidised rate of ₹ 375 to patients, says a note on its website.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in