Motion made to advocate for establishing kidney dialysis service in Nelson
By Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A move to bring kidney dialysis service to Nelson is gathering more support.
The Village of Kaslo council recently approved a motion to bring forward the case for establishing a dialysis service in Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson to the next West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District (WKBRHD) board meeting.
The motion — including supporting information — will also be sent to Interior Health Authority as well as the KRHD board and Regional District of Central Kootenay municipalities and rural directors.
“That the Village of Kaslo write to the West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District board explaining the need for dialysis service in Nelson, with copies to Interior Health Authority, area municipalities and rural directors,” the motion read.
The mayor of Kaslo, Susan Hewat, is also the director of the KRHD board.
The only kidney dialysis service for hemodialysis patients in the West Kootenay Boundary region is located in Trail at the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital. The IHA does not provide a shuttle service from Nelson to the hospital, but the Province does provide a subsidy to support patients who qualify, based on income and other requirements.
Last month the owner of the Sherwood Shuttle service — that drove patients from Nelson to Trail for dialysis — was killed (Sept. 22) on the Kootenay Pass after driving a passenger to Cranbrook. That has left several Nelsonites scrambling to find rides to Trail three times per week for dialysis.
A dialysis machine is an artificial kidney through which a patient’s blood is pumped for purification, then returned to the body.
The IHA has iterated in the past that there are home dialysis options available to patients who are able to have this service as part of their renal treatment plan. Home modalities are paid for by the government and supported by health care providers based out of Trail.
