Burdur dialysis center shuts after patients get severely ill

BURDUR

A dialysis center within a state hospital in the southern province of Burdur was closed down on May 26 after patients fell seriously ill post-treatment, with 14 individuals needing intubation.

Hospital authorities reached out to all patients after some of them experienced deteriorating health following dialysis treatment.

Ambulances were dispatched for those in critical condition. The official patient count affected by the incident rose to 33, with 14 in serious condition requiring intubation.

As a precautionary measure, Burdur Governor’s Office ordered the immediate closure of the hospital's dialysis center. Investigations are currently underway, with both judicial and administrative authorities involved.

The cause of the mass illness remains under investigation, but experts suspect a contamination issue. Initial assessments point toward a possible microbial or chemical intrusion into the sterile water system used during dialysis. Antifreeze is a leading suspect, potentially leaking from the hospital's cooling system and mixing with the dialysis water supply.

"Complaints arise when there's chemical or microbial contamination in the water system or malfunctions in its mechanisms. Additionally, food given during dialysis might contribute to these symptoms,” a nephrology specialist said.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry regulated the number of dialysis centers, maintaining a ratio of patients to devices that has not necessitated an increase in centers over the past two years.

A circular issued in November 2022 encouraged home hemodialysis, promoting personalized treatments that improve patient quality of life.

According to the Dialysis Data System, 67,129 patients are monitored across 938 dialysis centers nationwide. Home hemodialysis currently serves 1,352 patients in 90 centers across 31 of the country's 81 provinces.