Positive Impact
Prolonging the lives of patients
Dialysis has prolonged the life of many patients with renal diseases by replicating (though only partly) the functions of one’s kidney. Dialysis enabled many patients, whose number of days on earth can otherwise be counted, to wait for a kidney transplantation which may take many years to find a donor organ.
Here are some information that may give you a brief picture of how many people are currently being helped by dialysis:
In America, around 400,000 patients were being treated with some form of renal dialysis by the end of 2009.
In China, it is estimated that more than 300,000 are undergoing dialysis.
In Canada, around 24000 patients were having dialysis treatments by the end of 2011.
In UK, more than 400 people per million population were under dialysis by the end of 2010.
In Australia, about 11000 were going for dialysis by the end of 2011.
In Singapore, 5237 people are undergoing dialysis treatments by the end of 2012.
Here are some information that may give you a brief picture of how many people are currently being helped by dialysis:
In America, around 400,000 patients were being treated with some form of renal dialysis by the end of 2009.
In China, it is estimated that more than 300,000 are undergoing dialysis.
In Canada, around 24000 patients were having dialysis treatments by the end of 2011.
In UK, more than 400 people per million population were under dialysis by the end of 2010.
In Australia, about 11000 were going for dialysis by the end of 2011.
In Singapore, 5237 people are undergoing dialysis treatments by the end of 2012.
Negative Impact
Environmental Impact
Dialysis is currently one of the most energy consuming treatments within the healthcare system. With the large amount of resources used and subsequent carbon generated by people who are dependent on dialysis, the treatment is posing an adverse impact on our environment. Thus, methods to alleviate the issue should be employed. In the recent years, emphasis has been put on the importance of “green dialysis” and the environmental impacts of renal care have been explored, helping staffs and patients improve upon the practice in dialysis treatment.
Simple measures of re-using waste water, recycling plastics and increasing energy efficiency have been suggested and encouraged so as to alert the renal community about the significance in improving the sustainability of dialysis treatment. The practice of “green dialysis” aims to improve in practicing resource conservation and reduce carbon emitted to the environment. Currently, awareness has been brought forth encouraging many Renal Units to embrace the new concept and be more responsible.
Simple measures of re-using waste water, recycling plastics and increasing energy efficiency have been suggested and encouraged so as to alert the renal community about the significance in improving the sustainability of dialysis treatment. The practice of “green dialysis” aims to improve in practicing resource conservation and reduce carbon emitted to the environment. Currently, awareness has been brought forth encouraging many Renal Units to embrace the new concept and be more responsible.
Water Conservation
Firstly, hemodialysis requires 500 litres of water for each dialysis session, and two third of the water will be rejected. The “rejected water” after the session is high-grade grey water and is legally unacceptable for further human consumption. Statistics have revealed that a medium sized dialysis centre rejects more than 100,000 litres of water each week, thus contributing to the large amount of water wastage.
In view of the current situation, simple plumbing technology has been used to enable those rejected water to be collected and diverted into other usage, for instance, flushing of toilets or garden maintenance.
In view of the current situation, simple plumbing technology has been used to enable those rejected water to be collected and diverted into other usage, for instance, flushing of toilets or garden maintenance.
Energy Supply
Each year, electricity consumption of a dialysis machine used by a single patient is approximately 1310kW to 3744kW. Hence, it can be deduced that the electricity required for dialysis therapy is large. However, with solar power, electricity can be conserved. Although the initial costs of setting up solar power equipments for dialysis may be high, long-term savings and reduction of carbon emission may be achieved.
Waste Reduction
Dialysis treatments have contributed to a large volume of solid clinical wastes, as a single dialysis session would produce 2.5kg of wastes to which approximately 38% are plastic. Hence, hemodialysis treatments are accountable for the contribution of 390kg of waste each year whereas peritoneal dialysis contributes up to 617kg of wastes. Hence, there is a need to reduce wastage through the practice of recycling waste materials.
To remove the wastes generated from dialysis, incineration is necessary as these dialysis wastes are deemed to be “infectious wastes”. Hence, with large amount of wastes incinerated, the process has left heavy carbon footprints in the environment. To reduce the carbon emission, the Sterishred was created to sterilize and shred dialysis wastes. With the Sterishred technique, dialysis wastes would be more suitable for landfill and may prevent the use of incineration.
To remove the wastes generated from dialysis, incineration is necessary as these dialysis wastes are deemed to be “infectious wastes”. Hence, with large amount of wastes incinerated, the process has left heavy carbon footprints in the environment. To reduce the carbon emission, the Sterishred was created to sterilize and shred dialysis wastes. With the Sterishred technique, dialysis wastes would be more suitable for landfill and may prevent the use of incineration.