The CAPD treatment is not cheap but the Health Ministry provides
the treatment to children at minimal cost.
Parents are only required to pay the difference between
conventional haemodialysis and CAPD, which ranges from RM70 to
RM400.
For Zahara, the cost used to be about RM300 per month, which is
still hard on the pocket as her husband works as a plant
maintenance worker. Even making the journey once in three months
for Nasriqs medical check-up at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital from
Malacca where they live, is tough on finances.
As such, consulting paediatric nephrologist Dr Lim Yam Ngo
forwarded Nasriqs case to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF),
which now subsidises the boys treatment.
Nasriq has just started on Automated Peritoneal Dialysis (APD), a
more efficient and convenient form of treatment which costs even
more than CAPD. However, the family only pays RM72 per month,
thanks to help from NKF.
The foundation has agreed to support children who switch from CAPD
to APD by subsidising the cost differential between the two
treatments.
The new treatment is a lot better as it gives me more freedom,
says Nasriq, who is currently in Form One at SMK Durian Tunggal,
Malacca. His mother smiles at her chirpy son as at the back of her
mind, her foremost worry is how she will be able to afford future
treatments when he grows older.
Children dont normally get kidney failure. Thats what Tan Siew
Guat, 45, from Klang was told when she consulted a general
practitioner.
Her son, Chua Zhen Rong, who was two years old then, had poor
appetite and looked bloated. When he didnt get better, she sought
a second opinion from another doctor who conducted a blood test and
confirmed it was renal failure.
Since then, Chua, who is now 14, has been going to Kuala Lumpur
Hospital for treatment. When he was nine years old, he was put on
CAPD.
We had to make sure that he followed a strict routine. The first
exchange would be just before school, then the second time would be
right after school, the third, in the late afternoon, and the last
session would be in the night.
It meant that we could never go far as we always had to rush back
for his treatments. Of course, holidays are out of the question,
explains Tan, a housewife. She has an older daughter, 17. Her
husband works as a mechanic.
Chua, who goes to SMK Klang, has high cholesterol but otherwise, he
is encouraged to follow a normal diet.
Hes also small-sized as hes a poor eater, and sometimes bigger
boys who dont understand his health problem pick on him. Like most
children, he loves fried children, potato chips and soft drinks but
these are only allowed in moderation.
Children with ESRF usually drink only about 500ml per day at most
as too much fluids can kill them. Otherwise, Chua looks perfectly
normal. He has a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and his quick
retorts indicate a quick mind.
