NKF steps up push for home-based peritoneal dialysis amid rising kidney failure cases

Supported by a $3 million gift from the estate of Khoo Teck Puat, the programme aims to support 300 patients in adopting this form of treatment. 
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

SINGAPORE – The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is stepping up its push for home-based peritoneal dialysis (PD) by launching a three-year initiative to raise public awareness of the treatment, in collaboration with four public hospitals.

Supported by a $3 million gift from the estate of Khoo Teck Puat, the programme aims to support 300 patients in adopting this form of treatment. 

In February, NKF stationed two of its PD nurses in the renal teams at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) to help patients and their families better understand home-based options before dialysis becomes urgent.

Following this, NKF will station nurses at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, National University Hospital and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

The push to raise awareness of PD comes as the number of people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and those requiring dialysis continues to rise as the country rapidly ages. This is despite the numbers for the two common precursors to the disease – diabetes and hypertension – remaining broadly stable.

Approximately 500,000 people in Singapore are currently living with CKD, while the average waiting time for a deceased kidney donor transplant remains at around nine years. 

NKF has expanded its efforts over the past two years to help patients take up PD. These include training staff at nursing homes such as Man Fut Tong and Singapore Christian Home to support PD residents.

Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Ong Ye Kung (left) listens to an explanation of where our kidneys are located from Rachel Loy, a student from CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel, during his tour of the NKF Kidney Discovery Centre at the new NKF Centre in Kim Keat on Mar 23.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Haemodialysis is currently the primary method of kidney dialysis, but PD is often the preferred option because it offers patients greater flexibility and a better quality of life.

PD, which is performed daily by the patient at home, uses the abdomen’s lining, known as the peritoneum, to filter waste and excess fluid from the blood, and requires fewer resources and less infrastructure. 

For haemodialysis, patients typically have to travel to a centre three times a week for a nurse-administered treatment lasting approximately four hours. NKF currently has 45 centres, all of which have a high occupancy rate of around 90 per cent.

However, PD remains underutilised, despite being clinically suitable for many patients, with only 20 per cent, or one in five patients, opting for it. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said that in the next three years, he hopes that one in three patients will choose PD. 

“Kidney failure is one of those most challenging medical conditions. It reshapes daily life – physically, emotionally and financially. This is why we hope to progressively increase uptake of peritoneal dialysis for suitable patients,” said Mr Ong on March 23 at the launch of NKF’s revamped flagship headquarters in Kim Keat Road.

“PD allows dialysis to be performed at home, offering greater flexibility, and enabling some patients to continue working and caring for their families.” 

The Government is enhancing financial support to keep dialysis affordable. In 2025, it increased the quantum of dialysis subsidies, and raised the monthly MediShield Life dialysis limit from $1,100 to $1,750.

From July 1, 2026, it will further enhance subsidies by raising the income eligibility threshold from $3,600 to $4,800 per capita household income. This means seven in 10 households will be eligible for subsidies, compared with six in 10 today.

Mr Ong said most patients do not incur any out-of-pocket cash payment for kidney dialysis today due to charity dollars. However, stronger government funding support for dialysis treatment will help free up charity dollars that NKF can then deploy to other important uses, including expanding capacity, strengthening prevention and supporting PD adoption, he said.

NKF chief executive Yen Tan said: “For patients who choose home-based PD, treatment happens at home but they are never alone.” 

The Aljunied NKF Dialysis centre's capacity has increased to 28 dialysis stations from 18 stations previously, and can now serve 168 patients, up from 108.PHOTO: NKF

This is because they are supported by NKF’s PD Community Support Programme, which provides home assessments, hands-on training and ongoing clinical guidance to help them manage treatment with confidence, she said.

For Ms Florence Auyeong, 68, who suffers from CKD, PD was the preferred treatment. Her condition was likely caused by high blood pressure, and she chose PD because it is a gentler option that is less strenuous on her heart. 

The home treatment, which allows her to maintain her lifestyle, enabled her to continue in her role as a business communications trainer when she was still working back in 2015. She is now retired but continues to enjoy the flexibility that the treatment affords her.

Ms Auyeong said many people are not keen on PD because they think, “Oh dear, I have to do this on my own. What if the machine breaks down, what if something goes wrong?” But they will get help, she said. 

When she first set up the PD machine at home, a nurse from the dialysis care firm was there to make sure she did it correctly, she said, adding that as an SGH patient, she can also reach out to a renal nurse via the hospital’s hotline if necessary.

For 68-year-old Ms Florence Auyeong, who suffers from chronic kidney disease, PD was the preferred treatment option.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Meanwhile, NKF has expanded its prevention efforts by partnering more than 280 general practitioners and community organisations to offer complimentary kidney function screening for at-risk individuals. This is particularly important as CKD often progresses silently, with patients diagnosed only at advanced stages, when opportunities for timely intervention and treatment may already be limited.

On March 23, NKF also unveiled its revamped Kidney Discovery Centre, which is supported by a $1 million donation from Keppel, as part of its efforts to prevent CKD. 

The centre, which is at NKF’s headquarters in Kim Keat, features interactive exhibits to inspire kidney health awareness and proactive disease prevention.