Gov’t Sets Minimum Standards for Dialysis Services

The government has introduced new minimum standards for providing dialysis services across the country. 

These standards are aimed at enhancing the quality of care and improving patient outcomes. In a report released by the Ministry of Health’s Quality Assurance and Regulations Division, it was highlighted that national standards would help ensure that dialysis units in hospitals throughout the Maldives can deliver more effective and safer care. The ministry expressed hope that the guidelines would also foster greater trust among patients.

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The “National Standards for Providing Hemodialysis Services” were developed to create a framework of best practices and quality benchmarks for dialysis care. The ministry noted that the standards are intended to maintain the safety and effectiveness of services across all facilities.

The guidelines outline several key requirements for facilities. These requirements include general obligations, licensing, human resources, water quality, health information management, infection control measures, enforcement and sanctions, and equipment schedules.

The standards mandate that all facilities offering dialysis services must meet specific prerequisites before they can begin operations. These prerequisites include the provision of emergency power supplies to handle power cuts, the maintenance of optimal temperatures in dialysis bays, and the installation of air conditioning in hemodialysis machine areas, as well as in rooms for consultants, technicians, and nurses.

In addition, dialysis units are required to obtain the necessary registration and operational licences from the Health Ministry before they can begin offering services. This is in accordance with the Health Service Act and relevant regulations.

The Health Ministry emphasised that these measures are vital because of the critical nature of dialysis treatment. The standards are intended to ensure a consistently high level of care and operational uniformity across all dialysis units in the country.