NKTI dialysis center partially resumes operations

National Kidney and Transplant Institute: Asia’s leading kidney transplant center. Photo courtesy of nkti.gov.ph

MANILA — The National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) outpatient hemodialysis center partially resumed operations on Monday after being shut down last week due to 44 patients suffering from chills while undergoing dialysis.

Because of this, the NKTI temporarily shut down the center while investigating the cause of patients’ chills to ensure their safety. Other patients undergoing dialysis where meanwhile transferred to inpatient dialysis centers.

“We are happy to say that as of this morning, we have started partial operations,” NKTI public information office head, Dr. Ricardo Quintos said in a press briefing.

“Our first shift had about 20 patients.”

“Just a few seconds before I sat in front of you, I received an update…there were no more patients suffering from adverse effects,” he added.

Quintos further said that many of the patients from the first shift have finished their session and they are now ready for their second shift.

He noted that hospital has also sought help from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in validating its initial findings.

Quintos said that among the causes for a patient’s chills is infection. Chills, he said, is not a disease but a symptom of what may be a health complication.

He also denied rumors that a problem with equipment or the facility was the cause of patients’ getting chills.

For his part, NKTI executive director Dr. Jose Dator said that that machines and supplies used in the dialysis have already been sterilized and replaced.

The NKTI hopes to resume regular operations by this week — either June 12 or 13.