The renal dialysis centre of Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, was forced to close its doors four days ago because of a shortage of dialysis solution.
Director Abdel Rahman Ahmed told reporters on Wednesday that the centre had to cancel all appointments with the patients for four consecutive days, because it ran out of dialysis solution. 80 patients with kidney failure visit the renal dialysis centre twice a week.
Ahmed attributed the crisis to the failure of the South Darfur Ministry of Health state in supplying the dialysis solution. The solutions are transported to Nyala from Khartoum.
Relatives of the renal patients demonstrated in front of the Ministry of Health in Nyala, blaming the ministry for carelessness and neglect.
South Darfur Minister of Health Omar Suleiman denied the accusations. He told reporters in Nyala on Tuesday that the financial responsibility of the dialysis centre lies with the state’s Ministry of Finance.
The Finance Ministry delayed paying the transfer costs for the solutions by air, because it preferred the cheaper transport over land, he said. The transport was delayed because of what Suleiman called “complications in security in the area.”
Reporting by Radio Dabanga. File photo by Albert González Farran/Unamid.
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