The launch of peritoneal dialysis patient data monitoring system will improve supervision and care of patients in Brunei Darussalam.
Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar launched the system during a ceremony at the Rimba Dialysis Centre held in conjunction with World Kidney Day.
The minister said, “When kidneys fail to function properly, patients have three options – kidney transplant, peritoneal dialysis or haemodialysis. Kidney transplant offers the best chance for long-term survival and improved quality of life. However, it needs cooperation of various parties including the donor and patient’s family.
“Medically, not all patients are eligible for kidney transplant. Therefore, a majority of patients need dialysis treatment. Peritoneal dialysis is a better option, compared to haemodialysis treatment. Peritoneal dialysis patients have a longer lifespan and experience less complications compared to haemodialysis patients because the procedure can be carried out by the patients themselves at home, workplace or on vacation. The patients are able to lead a relatively normal life by undergoing treatment at night and carrying out daily activities during the day. Haemodialysis treatment has a significant impact on a patient’s life requiring at least four hours, three times a week at a dialysis centre in the presence of a nurse.”
Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham said there is a peritoneal dialysis penetration rate of over 15 per cent since its first year of introduction. As of mid-February, 154 patients were undergoing peritoneal dialysis treatment in the Sultanate.
“The data monitoring system is a significant step in the Ministry of Health’s efforts to increase the quality of health services for patients with kidney issues. This involves increase in the access to a balanced treatment and best medical practices in accordance with World Kidney Day’s theme, ‘Kidney Health for All – Advancing Equitable Access to Care and Optimal Medication Practice’.
“The system allows health professionals to plan a more systematic treatment for every patient. The advantage of the system is its ability to detect issues earlier and enable immediately action to reduce the need for hospital treatment,” he said.
The minister said real-time information allows health professionals to adjust dialysis machine settings without waiting for patients to be in the clinic during appointment. This not only improves the efficiency and effectiveness of patient care but also provide more individual care and responsive to the unique needs of each patient.
The minister visited a peritoneal dialysis patient in STKRJ Kampong Rimba yesterday. – James Kon
