The Manitoba government is spending $5.2 million on dialysis services in the province, including funding nearly 30 new nursing positions.
Premier Brian Pallister made the announcement Monday in Thompson.
“These investments will provide life-saving care to Manitobans in need, when and where they need it most. This includes Thompson, which will see in-centre dialysis expand to accommodate an additional six patients,” Pallister said.
The funding, $2.4 million of which is coming from the province’s 2019 budget, will also be used to expand home dialysis treatments, including a 10-patient peritoneal dialysis expansion in Winnipeg.
Portage la Prairie, Pine Falls, Hodgson and Boundary Trails Health Centre will also see patient expansion.
There will be 57 positions included in the expansion, including health care aides, pharmacy, social services, technologists, maintenance and administrative support positions will also be added.
The province is also constructing a 22-station hemodialysis unit at Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg that will support up to 132 patients when at full capacity.
The province says about 14 percent of Manitobans live with kidney disease and about one-third of them may develop kidney failure in their lifetime. March is Kidney Health Month in Canada.
