Dialysis continues despite hospital lockdown

Patients with kidney failure who need regular dialysis are being treated at other branches after Renji Hospital’s west branch shut down when a worker was confirmed with coronavirus last Thursday, the hospital said on Friday.

Ten dialysis patients are quarantined at the hospital and officials have sent its other 127 patients, who need dialysis two or three times a week, to other branches.

Hospital officials managed to make arrangements within six hours for patients to attend Renji’s branches near their homes.

Nurses contacted each patient early last Thursday and told them to have a nucleic acid test before going to other branches for dialysis while the west branch remained in lockdown.

The first batch of patients received their dialysis that same evening. 

One patient, who said he was very worried when he heard that the west branch had been locked down, was quickly reassured when he received a call from the hospital about the new arrangements.