Helping the underprivileged with kidney ailments

To provide free and subsidized dialysis to the underprivileged suffering from chronic kidney diseases. We believe that no patient should be denied treatment because of financial constraints and everyone has the right to good healthcare.

TANKER (Tamilnad Kidney Research) Foundation is a registered non-profit charitable trust which was founded by Dr. Georgi Abraham and like-minded people in June 1993 with the main aim of providing subsidized dialysis and financial assistance for transplantation, medication and investigation costs to the underprivileged with kidney disease. TANKER Foundation also does awareness programmes on kidney disease and screening camps for early detection of kidney disease.

We have completed 24 years of service for the underprivileged with kidney ailments. We have meaningfully contributed to healthcare, research, training and advocacy related to kidney diseases. TANKER has provided 242,297 free and subsidized dialysis for 1265 patients. We have also given financial support of Rs. 145 lakhs to 2923 patients as one-time contributions ranging from Rs. 5,000/- to Rs. 50,000/- for transplantation, medication, investigation and fistula surgery costs.

Our six subsidized dialysis units have a total of 72 dialysis stations situated in Ambattur Rotary Hospital, Chennai, TVS Hospital, Chokkikulam, Madurai, RVS College of Nursing, Kannampalayam, Coimbatore, Corporation P.H.C, Nungambakkam along with RCME Chennai, in Thiruverkadu with RCMW Chennai and in Vellore with RCVF. We do 3284 dialyses per month, of which 2648 are free of cost.

Only few government hospitals provide free dialysis for patients. Many underprivileged people cannot afford the treatment of dialysis in private hospitals due to high cost. Hence, there is an absolute need to provide free and subsidized dialysis for the poor. Long term maintenance dialysis is needed for patients who cannot afford to have a transplant/ do not have a donor/have other complications. TANKER gives free, subsidized and long term dialysis for the poor and needy.

Healthy kidneys produce a hormone called Erythropoietin (EPO). EPO prompts the bone marrow to make red blood cells, which then carry oxygen throughout the body. When the kidneys are diseased or damaged, they do not make enough EPO. As a result, the bone marrow makes fewer red blood cells, causing anaemia. Anaemia is an independent predictor of death in stable coronary artery disease patients with CKD.The required dose of EPO is 50 to 100 units/kg body weight/week; that is on an average it is 4000 to 6000 units of EPO / week along with Iron sucrose 100 mg. This medicine is required in these dialysis patients as long as they live on dialysis.

All kidney transplant patients are required to take anti-rejection medication for the rest of their lives. The monthly expenses for their medicine is nearly Rs.10,000/-. TANKER provided medicines worth Rs. 10,000/- to the underprivileged patients.