Province Invests $100,000 for Home Dialysis in Yarmouth

The province is investing $100,000 so more Nova Scotians living with kidney failure in South West Nova Scotia will have better dialysis care, closer to home.

The funds will help to continue to develop and implement home peritoneal dialysis training and support programs.

Environment Minister Sterling Belliveau made the announcement today, Nov. 14, on behalf of Health and Wellness Minister Maureen MacDonald, as part of the province's new capital plan to make life better for families.

"This strategic investment simply makes sense," said Mr. Belliveau. "It will not only provide patients with better health care, it will also help to alleviate some of the burden caused by this complex disease."

It is part of a $626,000 investment to provide better health care to Nova Scotians living with kidney failure. The remaining funds will provide home hemodialysis machines for patients in Cape Breton and Capital health authorities.

The South West Nova Scotia investment means patients will no longer have to travel to Halifax for five to seven days of home peritoneal dialysis training.

Vanessa Mitchell, who lives in Barrington Passage, was receiving hemodialysis treatment from Yarmouth Regional Hospital. She switched to home peritoneal dialysis eight months ago and says it has greatly improved her quality of life.

"Switching to home peritoneal dialysis allows me to manage my own care, which has restored my independence," said Ms. Mithchell. "Having the support of nurses and physicians in Yarmouth greatly reduces the follow-up appointments that I have to attend in Halifax.

"It is much more convenient and has also helped me financially."

Home hemodialyis and peritoneal dialysis patients receive individualized plans based on their condition and can design their home therapy plan around work and social schedules.

For the second time in the province's history, government is releasing the capital plan before the spring budget. The 2012-13 capital plan will invest millions to make life better for families. It will create thousands of good jobs, grow the economy, and provide better health care. The capital plan invests in projects that are most important to Nova Scotians like emergency rooms, schools, roads and hospital equipment.