Ensuring Care For Dialysis Patients During A Pandemic
Dialysis patients are immune-compromised and are very susceptible to COVID-19 infection. They are likely super hosts. They need three dialysis per week and if they miss it, they lose basic immunity. Our patients are daily wage earners or below poverty line citizens. The lockdown meant no income, increasing costs and the compulsion of stopping dialysis. In the first week of the lockdown we saw almost a 30-40% drop in dialysis.
Our immediate priority was to ensure that all patients got their dialysis - no matter what.
We addressed problems in funding, transportation, PPE and supply chain to ensure that this happened. We set up stringent screening for symptoms, contact and travel, and isolated suspect patients and facilitated testing. Due to these measures, our dialysis center, despite catering to a section of society where social distancing is challenging, has not reported a single COVID-19 positive case. Funds raised for COVID-19 relief, including a grant from the McNulty Foundation's Global Response Fund, in partnership with the AGLN, have been deployed for comprehensive renal care of the first 80 of approx. 300 patients, thereby playing a significant role in containing the community spread of coronavirus.
When I took over, we redefined the metrics to put the patients and health care workers in the center and our focus was on arresting the spread to flatten the curve. The extension of the lockdown brings with it fresh challenges, but the experience of the last few weeks should help.
I have found this phase confusingly challenging, gut wrenching and yet, deeply gratifying. It’s also reinforced what we have discussed several times in Aspen - the impact of leadership.
Other Recent Posts
Explore upcoming opportunities to come back together with this community and continue the journey of fellowship. October 14-15, 2023 | Dubai, UAE AGLN Fellow Reunion in Dubai Fellows across the AGLN, especially those in China, India, Africa and the Middle East, have expressed a desire to reconnect with one another to build deeper bonds in a location ...
Charles Conn is a 2001 Henry Crown Fellow. He is co-founder of Monograph, a life sciences venture firm, and chair of Patagonia. Charles co-authored best-selling Bulletproof Problem Solving , and newly released The Imperfectionists: Strategic Mindsets for Uncertain Times (Wiley 2023). Our Operating Context We live in a different world than the one ...
Together with the McNulty Foundation, we're excited to announce the Winners of the 2022 John P. McNulty Prize , three individuals who have leveraged their expertise, experience, and networks to build and lead transformative social impact ventures. Their transformative social ventures are striving to end malnutrition worldwide , sparking a ...
More than a year after the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, the American political landscape reflects the yawning divides highlighted on that violent day and reveals the extent to which extremist beliefs have become part of the mainstream. As the 2022 midterm election campaign kicks into high gear, I’m deeply concerned about the state of ...
Fellows across the network are tackling issues like good education, diversity on boards, cross-community dialogue and more. This Giving Season, we're excited to share causes close to the hearts of Fellows across our global community. Read below and consider giving or getting involved in these incredible organizations.
Leave a Comment