With the current situation in Thailand where there is the rising number of kidney disease patients who need dialysis, having equal access to standardized medical care is therefore essential to the quality of life of patients. At present, the hemodialysis unit of Thammasat University Hospital needed to increase the round of dialysis services daily to accommodate more patients. In the upper central region, Thammasat University Hospital is considered to be the only hospital that can provide comprehensive medical services. Therefore, people living in nearby provinces like Saraburi and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya do not have to travel to Bangkok. The hospital also receives referrals from other hospitals in the Northern Bangkok area, the Upper Central region, the lower Northern region and the North Eastern region, resulting in a high number of patients. Consequently, the facility and medical equipment are insufficient for treatment and services.
Gulf Energy Development Public Company Limited (GULF) recognizes the importance of this issue so for that reason, the company presented a donation of 55 million baht to Thammasat University Hospital to fund the establishment of the state-of-the-art Hemodialysis Center with 30 high-efficiency on-line hemodiafiltration machines to provide disadvantaged patients with chronic renal failure access to comprehensive and standardized treatment. The center also aims to be the Center of Excellence, offering comprehensive for patients with kidney disease and patients in need of kidney replacement therapy; acute hemodialysis, chronic hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, kidney transplant surgery, plasmapheresis, etc. In addition, the center will be an on-site teaching facility for medical students, nursing student and resident physicians specializing in nephrology. This is in line with GULF’s mission to promote public health along with improving the quality of life of people in the community
Mr. Sarath Ratanavadi, Chief Executive Officer, GULF stated, “Since the spread of Covid-19 for over 2 years, GULF has consistently supported public health programs such as supporting the fund for procurement of medical equipment as well as supporting vulnerable people in the community, affected by Covid-19 with free meals. Therefore, GULF hopes that funding to support the establishment of the hemodialysis center will improve the quality of life of kidney disease patients. and this is also a long-term investment as this medical center will benefit the hospital moving forward.”
Professor Dr. Surapon Nitikraipoj, Chairman of the Executive Committee, Thammasat University Hospital said, “The current hemodialysis center has received a large number of patients since there is an increasing number of patients with severe and complicated kidney disease, resulting in insufficient space and equipment. Therefore, the hospital has to increase the service rounds to 3 times per day. However, the center is still not capable of providing service to every patient, causing delay or inadequate treatment. In order to support the hospital’s mission of providing underprivileged patients with equal access to medical care, Thammasat Hospital therefore carries on a policy with the opening of 30 high-efficiency advanced hemodialysis units to expand the potential and help patients with kidney disease in the long run. We would like to thank Gulf Group for recognizing the importance of building this hemodialysis center with advanced technologies.”
“This hemodialysis center with advanced technologies will provide dialysis services to disadvantaged patients suffering from chronic renal failure, enabling them to have access to good and standardized medical care. It will be an agency that provides specialized services to patients with kidney disease with professional staff with expertise in caring of patients from OPD (outpatient) to OR (operating room) and wards with systematic care. The center aims to provide a one stop service where blood collection, examination, drug reception and other procedures will be taken in one place, delivering faster and more convenient service,” Associate Professor Pharuhat Tor-Udom, M.D, Director, Thammasat University Hospital said.
Hemodialysis Center with Advanced Technologies is located on the 4th floor in the laboratory and diagnostic radiology building, Thammasat University Hospital. With a total area of 900 square meters, the center is equipped with 30 dialysis machines with innovative technology and smart IT system to assess the methods of dialysis. The amount of fluid required for each patient is calculated by weight, blood tests, including the patient’s vital signs during dialysis to optimize the dialysis treatment according to the symptoms. In addition, the dialysis machine uses two waste disposal processes combined, namely the diffusion process, and the convection process, which are mostly used in European countries thanks to its efficiency to eliminate large molecular waste in the body which traditional dialysis cannot do as well as help reduce infection, side effects, complication rate including mortality rate. Overall, it will allow patients to have a better quality of life and longer lifespan. Currently, the Hemodialysis Center is under construction and expected to be open within 2023.
