Ouagadougou – In Burkina Faso, a significant advancement in the care of dialysis patients has been achieved through a strategic partnership between the Ministry of Health, Sibiri Biomedical, and Nipro Corporation, established in 2018. This collaboration has brought about a substantial improvement in the treatment and management of hemodialysis patients across the nation.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the Minister of Health, during a meeting held on Monday, February 12, 2024, with representatives from Sibiri Biomedical and Nipro Corporation, the partnership has effectively addressed the challenges associated with hemodialysis, thanking the CEO of Nipro for their strategic involvement. The Minister highlighted the importance of kidney transplantation as a priority for the Transitional government, aiming to enhance the care offerings for chronic kidney patients in Burkina Faso with the support of technical and financial partners.
The delegation from Nipro and Sibiri Biomedical Services had earlier visited the hemodialysis units of the Tengandogo and Yalgado University Centers to review the operation and efficiency of the installed equipment. Dr. Fatimata Diallo, a nephrologist at Tengandogo Ouédraogo University Hospital, expressed gratitude towards Nipro and Sibiri Biomedical Services for their support in managing dialysis patients, emphasizing the improvement in patients’ quality of life and the potential for kidney transplants in the near future.
Lin Somda, director of Tengadogo University Hospital, and Professor Coulibaly from the Yalgado hemodialysis department, both acknowledged the positive impact of the partnership. They noted improvements in patient care, including the increase in dialysis sessions per week and a significant reduction in patient mortality rates. Prior to the partnership, the mortality rate was at least 10 dialysis patients per month, which has since decreased to no more than three, with some months recording no deaths.
Tsuyoshi Yamazaki, Nipro’s general manager of global business, commended the quality of services in the hemodialysis units, equating them to the standards observed in Japan. He expressed a desire to continue the collaboration with Sibiri Biomedical Services to develop products that could benefit patients globally.
Since its inception, the partnership has led to the establishment of six hemodialysis units, with the latest being the Tenkodogo unit inaugurated on January 29, 2024. Dr. Kargougou announced plans for the opening of another unit in Gaoua in the coming months, further expanding the reach and impact of this vital healthcare service in Burkina Faso.