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Dr. Abhay Sadre Doctor For The Kidney Support Group
Dr. Abhay Sadre
Consultant Nephrologist
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Doctors always seem to know best. This holds true in Dr. Abhay Sadre’s case as well. A nephrologist at Inlaks Hospital, Pune, Dr. Sadre has dealt with many patients needing or awaiting kidney transplant. He sees pain and suffering in every patient who come to the dialysis section, some who have no hope left. But all this is a part of his duties as a doctor. He knows the pros and cons about issues and new treatments for kidney transplant patients, and feels that a lot of work needs to be done by the government to enforce a coherent health policy, especially for kidney transplants. In this interview, he speaks of how a lack of monetary resources make a patient play a terrible game of odds.

Aarogya: You see many patients come to you, especially those in their last stages. What do you recommend for them? Do they usually follow the advice you offer?
Dr. Sadre: See, no particular symptoms can pin point or decide the cause of renal failure. So by the time most patients come to us the disorder has already run its course. With such patients, we advise immediate kidney transplant. 50 per cent of the people who come to the hospital, accept things as they are and follow my advice. 50 Per cent don’t. They go back home and seek a different opinion. But the longer they wait, that much difficult it becomes to treat them.

Aarogya: But the cost factor must be playing a definitive role. What can you offer to people who lack monetary assistance?
Dr. Sadre: Admitted, that the costs are very high. It costs INR 1.5 lakhs a year to continue dialysis and a renal transplant costs INR 2 lakhs. Only 20 per cent of the patients are able to afford such treatment. The sad part is that treatment is definitely available, but there is a distinct lack of money. Inlaks is the only hospital which offers reduced charges. In most government hospitals, limited resources put constraints on the type of health care they can provide. Therefore, government help is out of the question.

Aarogya: But what about private funds? Surely there might be a few NGOs which provide assistance?
Dr. Sadre: Yes. There are a few such organizations – government NGOs and non–government NGOs, which try to offer financial aid. Off the cuff, I can think of only these:

The Chief Ministers Fund – gives INR 20,000 for a kidney transplant.
The Prime Ministers Fund – gives INR 30,000 to a patient.
The Shridi Sanstha – gives INR 16,000 and
The Oswal Bandhu Samaj for Pune citizens – provides INR 10,000 to a kidney patient.

Apart from these, people also seek assistance via newspaper advertisements also.

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