Patients have often missed out on their kidney dialysis treatment due to its exorbitant cost.

Consumer Council Chief Executive, Premila Kumar says before the 2018/2019 budget announcement, a group of these patients visited them raising their concerns on the issue.

Kumar says that this was then part of their submission to the budget and they’ve commended government for the $3.5million subsidy for kidney dialysis from the new budget.

She says the cost of dialysis has always been a struggle for kidney patients and their families.

“For years they have been suffering and been forking out large sums of money. And sometimes when they don’t have enough money than they have to miss a session and just do two sessions per week. I mean for them to get $250 every session and in total of $750 every week, is a lot of money. Most of us don’t even earn $750 a week.”

Economy Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum had announced that people with household income over $30,000 will be offered dialysis for $150 a treatment and families below the $30,000 threshold will be able to attain the same service for $75.

The Consumer Council says this will greatly ease the cost of dialysis on patients and their families.