New Renal Services Clinic in Brits

Mediclinic Renal Services are focused on opening centres across South Africa that allow for easier access to dialysis and other quality renal services.

Chronic Kidney Disease

Michelle Dennis, Renal Operations Manager: Mediclinic Renal Services says Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is found is approximately 844 million people worldwide - an estimated global prevalence of CKD of 11.1% of the population. “Patients with CKD are estimated to be twice the number of people with diabetes worldwide, and 20 times the number of people affected with Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome,” she adds.

The problem doesn’t stop there. “Worldwide, the all-age prevalence of CKD has increased by 29.3 % over the past 3 decades,” she explains. “CKD has therefore become a universal public health priority.” The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) Global Health Atlas Survey has estimated the prevalence of CKD in South Africa to be 10.7 % of the population, however, due to the lack of complete epidemiological data from the African continent, the prevalence of CKD continues to be underestimated. “Most cases of CKD in Africa are due to hypertension and diabetes mellitus,” Michelle adds.

The need for renal clinics

In line with its commitment to developing a continuum of care, Mediclinic has identified the need for a quality, patient centred service for patients with all types of kidney disease. “Mediclinic Renal Services was one of the first related services to be introduced to the Mediclinic’s continuum of care fold,” says Michelle. “We are currently focused on opening renal centres across South Africa in which we offer dialysis with a difference. This serves to make a positive impact in the lives of our patients and the community as a whole.”

Mediclinic currently has 10 dialysis teams across South Africa – in the Western Cape, the North West, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, the Free State and KwaZulu Natal. The newest renal unit to offer acute dialysis services opened in Brits in July 2023.

Specialist renal care

“Our dialysis centres cater for patients with Chronic Kidney Disease , as well patients with Acute Kidney Disease (AKD) who are admitted to our hospitals,” Michelle explains. “In our chronic units we offer chronic haemodiafiltration and all modalities of peritoneal dialysis. In our hospitals, we offer online acute haemodiafiltration, continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRT), sustained low-efficiency dialysis (SLED), and plasma exchange.”

Michelle adds that it is important for Mediclinic’s Renal Services to work closely together with the larger multi-disciplinary team in order to identify patients who are showing signs of CKD, but are not yet ready to start on dialysis. “We then educate, assist and empower these patients with the knowledge in order to make informed decisions on the path of their treatment,” she says. “In some cases, we can even delay the onset of the need for dialysis therapy. Another important focus is on transplant work-up, whether it be for our pre-renal patients, or our patients already on dialysis.”