The World Health Organisation (WHO) has praised Thailand for providing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) to kidney patients for free, saying its model could be adopted by other countries.
Speaking after observing the National Health Security Office's CAPD service at at Phra Jen community yesterday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was so inspired by what he had seen he wanted to pass the story of Thailand to other nations to improve the quality of life for kidney patients around the world.
"I asked a kidney patient in the community who pays for his treatment; he replied the government helped and, without support from the government, he may not have survived until this day. I'm very happy to see that the government broke the financial barrier for kidney patients, allowing them to access necessary medicines and healthcare services," he said.
CAPD is a machine-free treatment for kidney failure that patients can perform at home by placing cleansing fluids in their bellies for draining waste.
Previously, all kidney patients who needed to take dialysis had to go to hospital but, since 2008, Thailand has included CAPD treatment in its universal coverage healthcare scheme to give patients more independence and take away the burden of travelling.
The NHSO now subsidises 100% of CAPD treatment, which costs about 15,000 baht per month, across the nation via public hospitals.
The CAPD project in which doctors and nurses at hospitals and clinics form teams to visit patients with kidney disease at home once a month has also been created.
Patients and their family members will be taught to safely perform CAPD by themselves.
Under the project, community health volunteers have been encouraged to participate in the project as well.
There are more than 20,000 kidney disease patients nationwide receiving CAPD treatment.
Dr Ghebreyesus said another important element he has observed is the involvement of family members and people in the community in taking care of patients.
"Members of a patient's family and community have helped with parts of the job, not just relying on doctors and nurses. They are all well-trained in primary healthcare," Dr Ghebreyesus said.
"When you see the involvement of families and communities, you know that the system is very sustainable."
Piyathida Jungsamarn, a nephrologist at Ban Phaeo Pattanakan Hospital, said normal kidney dialysis is often a physically and emotionally draining process as patients must go to hospital two to three times per week, with each session taking up to five hours.
"By the time kidney patients recover from each treatment, it is time for the next," she said.
"However, with CAPD, patients can have a more flexible lifestyle and have a sense of self-reliance," she added.