Ethiopia: Greek Businessman to Establish Dialysis Center in Addis Ababa

Rose Mestika
10 June 2008
Addis Abeba — Greek businessman Charalambos N, Tsimas (well -known by the name Bambis) owner and Manager of Bambis Supermarket, one of the oldest and biggest in town announced plans to contribute one million birr for what is to be the first dialysis centre established as a charity in the country.
Speaking to The Daily Monitor On Sunday, Mr. Bambis said he would also raise funds for the future centre to build on its capacity to render services and augment its running costs.
The centre which will house dialysis machines will render services for a much lesser charges aimed at supporting kidney patients, who would normally find the costs for treatment un affordable at private clinics and hospitals, said Mr. Bambis.
Cognizant of the heavy costs that entail in buying the machine including the high running costs, the businessman said he was in contacts with the Ambassadors and heads of missions residing in Addis Ababa in a bid to solicit additional funds for the centre.
"I am sure that with the help of ambassadors and other willing associations or individuals, I will be able to buy 20 or 30 dialysis machines but the problem is to sustained budget to ensure continued function of the centre, which is very expensive." He said to secure the normal function of the dialysis machine require filtered, ionized water and qualified doctors and nurses, which obviously would be very expensive these days.
"American, EU and Indian ambassadors promised me to support and also I have already discussed with other Ambassadors about the problem and they expressed their willingness to contribute and I hope I will see the project's success in the near future," Mr. Bambis said.
Dr Tewdros Agonafer, a founding member of the Ethiopian Kidney Association, EKA and Dialysis Unit Head at Saint Gabriel Hospital in Addis Ababa told The Daily Monitor the machine was available in only four hospitals, Saint Gabriel, Tibebe and Black lion hospital.
He said a patient needs 15-20 thousand Br. per month to use the dialysis machine.
According to him the other option was a kidney transplant, which again is much more expensive.
EKA was established in 2006 by a group of specialist doctors, academics, general practitioners, and other concerned individuals, according to available information.
According to Dr. Tewdros, there are patients in Ethiopia but there is no statistics that shows the number of patient.
World Kidney Day was marked for the second time here in Addis Ababa on March 13, 2008
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