KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has been covering almost the entire cost of dialysis treatment for underprivileged patients, providing subsidies of up to RM1,640.50 per person per month.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni said the subsidy applied to haemodialysis treatments conducted at 138 NGO dialysis centres recognised by the ministry where patients only needed to pay a nominal fee of RM10 monthly.
“A subsidy of RM100 is provided for each haemodialysis session, up to a maximum of 14 sessions per month, along with erythropoietin injections valued at RM18.50 each, up to 13 injections monthly.
“The total cost for one patient’s treatment amounts to RM1,640.50.
“The subsidy approval is valid for two years and can be renewed upon application after the period ends,” he said in his reply to Senator Tan Sri Prof Dr Mohamed Haniffa Abdullah during Question Time in Dewan Negara yesterday, Bernama reported.
The senator wanted to know the ministry’s long-term plans to manage and contain rising dialysis costs, ease the financial burden on B40 patients and optimise public funding allocations.
Lukanisman said the increasing prevalence of chronic kidney disease, driven by risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity, has steadily escalated the cost burden of dialysis treatments.
To address the challenges, he said the ministry was implementing a comprehensive approach encompassing prevention, early detection and disease management at the community level, including introducing kidney health education in schools and limiting the use of non-prescription medications that may harm kidney function.
Additionally, Lukanisman said the ministry was also strengthening the Peritoneal Dialysis First (PD First) policy to improve treatment access for patients in rural areas.
“This method is more cost-effective, flexible and can be performed at home, significantly reducing travel expenses.
“In places like Belaga, Sarawak, patients currently travel up to four hours to Bintulu for treatment.
“With PD First, patients can receive care at home, provided there is clean water supply and adequate space.
“However, acceptance of the policy remains low due to a lack of incentives and infrastructural constraints, including access to clean water.
“Hence, we welcome collaboration with the private sector and NGOs to bolster the policy’s implementation,” he said.
Lukanisman added that the number of dialysis patients stood at 55,237 in 2024 with 7,750 receiving haemodialysis and 1,723 undergoing peritoneal dialysis.
