SEHA Kidney Care (SKC), a SEHA affiliated facility, has started a major COVID-19 vaccine drive, ‘Choose to Vaccinate’, aimed at dialysis patients at its centres.
The initiative is aligned with the UAE’s National Vaccination Programme, which is currently giving priority to people with chronic conditions, senior citizens and residents, and People of Determination to get inoculated.
According to global clinical reports, dialysis patients are not only at a heightened risk of infection from COVID-19, but they also have an up to 30 percent mortality from COVID-19 related complications.
SKC said it is committed to vaccinate over 1,100 of its dialysis patients with the first dose, and subsequently schedule their second dose, according to the standard process.
Professor Stephen Holt, CEO and Professor Director of SEHA Kidney Care, said, “We are honoured to support the country, and SEHA’s COVID-19 mission, by ensuring that the most vulnerable patient groups get vaccinated as soon as possible. As part of this initiative, we will vaccinate any dialysis patient who consents to receive it, and we can do this for our haemodialysis patients whilst they receive their scheduled treatment.
“We are then extending the vaccination to patients who have undergone kidney transplant procedures, as well as those who are suffering from severe chronic kidney disease.”
Most of SKC’s employees have already been vaccinated, and SKC has plans to complete vaccination in all its eligible employees, within a short time to continue protecting vulnerable patients and members of community.
