A free / subsidised dialysis centre was opened as part of the inauguration of special programs and services of Glanis Hospital, at Glanis Institute of Medical Sciences campus, Madurai, Tuesday, October 22, 2024.

TANKER Foundation supported Glanis to set up the Free Dialysis Center in their hospital.

The programs and services were inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Minister, Mr. Ma. Subramanian.

The Free Dialysis Center would have three dialysis machines for the use of the general public.

It was on April 13, 2023, that Dr. Madhu Purushothaman, the Chairman of Glanis Hospital, visited the admin office of TANKER Foundation in Chennai and appreciated the service being rendered by TANKER.

He said he had constructed a charity hospital in Thottiapatti, Madurai-Rajapalayam Road, charging just Rs. 10 as consultation fees, benefiting people from many villages in and around the area. Dr. Madhu Purushothaman wanted to set up a dialysis unit in his hospital with TANKER’s support. This has come to fruition now.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Subramanian said though the hospital plans 50 % subsidy for dialysis patients, he suggested that they make it 100%. Praising the generosity of Dr. Madhu Purushothaman, he advised him to apply to the government the very next day to include the hospital under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS) and that he had made enquiries that the inspection would be carried out shortly and after that the hospital would become eligible under the scheme. “So, you must make it 100% free,” he said.

Elaborating on the government’s initiatives to provide kidney ‘protection’ to the people of Tamil Nadu, he said there is a scheme by which everyone above 40 years of age would be screened for kidney disease and given treatment if found to be suffering from kidney disease. He added that so far, 30 lakh people had been screened and was happy that Glanis was involved in promoting the concept.

Speaking on behalf of TANKER Foundation, Mrs. Vasanthi Ravichander, Head Admin, enumerated statistics about the service rendered by TANKER, and said Founder Trustee, Dr. Georgi Abraham, and Managing Trustee, Mrs. Latha Kumaraswami started TANKER in a small way and it was now in its 31st year of service.

While thanking the government wholeheartedly for supporting TANKER Foundation’s services through schemes like CMCHIS, she also appealed for Government support to reduce the price of the creatinine meter and strips that are now being used in TANKER Foundation screening camps. These imported creatinine meter and strips are expensive as they are being manufactured in the USA with one distributor in India, she said.

The other two schemes inaugurated by the Minister at Glanis Hospital are Panchavarnam Free Nephrology Service, The Glanis 3 Minute Faster Health Check-up Program, and Rural Outreach for Palliation and Empowerment (ROPE) that is supported by Rotary Foundation and Rotary Clubs.