National Kidney Foundation Singapore

National Kidney Foundation Singapore
Abbreviation NKFS
Formation 1969
Type NPO
Region served
 Singapore
Chairman
 Mr Koh Poh Tiong
Website http://www.nkfs.org/

The story of the NKF began in the 1960s when Dr Khoo Oon Teik witnessed the plight of kidney patients, including his own brother who died from this disease. At that time, about 200 Singaporeans died each year from kidney failure. As a nephrologist, Dr Khoo was determined to set up a National Kidney Foundation to help needy kidney patients. The NKF was inaugurated on 7th of April 1969, on World Health Day. The NKF's objective was to render services to kidney patients, encourage and promote renal research, as well as carrying out public education programmes on kidney diseases. [1]


Current management

Current board of directors (as of April 2015)

Bringing Affordable Dialysis to the Heartlands

In September 1982, the NKF officially opened its first dialysis centre at the Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital. However, it could only admit a few patients as it did not have sufficient resources. So the NKF started building dialysis centres at the void decks of HDB estates to keep costs low and make dialysis more accessible for kidney patients. In 1987, the NKF’s first satellite dialysis centre was established in Toa Payoh. It was the beginning of a new era for more centres to be built within other housing estates, bringing affordable dialysis to kidney patients.

The NKF’s Headquarters

In 2001, five caring donors - Singapore Buddhist Welfare Services, the late Mr Tay Choon Hye, The Shaw Foundation, Singapore Pools and the Lee Foundation - generously contributed $21 million for the entire cost of building the NKF Centre. [3]

The Children’s Kidney Centre

In 2002, with a $4 million donation from the Shaw Foundation, a Children’s Kidney Centre at the National University Hospital was set up to support children with kidney diseases.

The NKF Saga

In July 2005, a new Board and Management team was formed for a leaner, cost-effective NKF after the former CEO and directors stepped down due to breach of fiduciary duties, among others.

Re-establishing itself as a Patient-Centric Organisation

The NKF then enhanced corporate governance and accountability; improved patient care; streamlined structure; reduced operating costs and passed on the savings to patients.

Having re-established itself as a patient-centric organisation, its Chairman, Mr Gerard Ee, handed over the reins in 2012 to Mr Koh Poh Tiong. The following year, its CEO, Mrs Eunice Tay retired and Mr Edmund Kwok took over.

Greater Emphasis on Education and Prevention

As one of the largest voluntary welfare healthcare organisations in Singapore, the NKF sees itself fulfilling an important role to advocate for kidney health and general well-being. It wants to keep people as people and not patients.

The Foundation is therefore placing greater emphasis on kidney disease education and prevention as diabetes and hypertension, the leading causes of kidney failure, are preventable.

Its Schools Outreach Programme reaches out to the young where they learn about kidney functions, kidney failure and how kidney patients cope with this chronic condition through interactive and hands-on learning. These include the learning journey at its Kidney Discovery Centre; assembly talks and health booths at schools; and its Kidney Health Education Bus.

The Little Champs and Young Champs Programmes help students strengthen their leadership abilities and inspire them to make a difference to the community and in the lives of kidney patients.

For adults, ‘Healthy Mondays’, consisting of health talks, health screenings and exercises to engage employees and motivate them to create a culture of wellness and start the week off healthy, was introduced to organisations and corporations. Its kidney health education bus, with health screening stations, also brings preventive healthcare to their doorsteps.

The NKF also reaches out to the community by partnering with the media, healthcare and social agencies, grassroots organisations and institutions to spread health messages through various events and channels. Its goal is to have everyone, young and old, to take care of their health and stay healthy.

Promoting Kidney Transplant

For those afflicted with kidney failure, NKF promotes kidney transplant as it provides kidney patients the best long-term survival and enables them to lead better and fuller lives. It is the most optimal solution to kidney failure. The transplanted kidney can substitute almost fully the lost functions of the failed kidneys and it usually begins to function right away, thus allowing the patient to lead a normal life.

The NKF launched the Kidney Live Donor Support Programme in 2009, where financial assistance is given to a needy live donor. The objective is to ensure that costs will not be an obstacle for the donor’s long-term medical follow-up.

Encouraging Peritoneal Dialysis (Home-based)

For needy patients who require dialysis, the NKF promotes Peritoneal Dialysis (PD). PD is a home-based treatment that allows kidney patients to have more flexibility and control of their lifestyle. To encourage PD and build the confidence of patients undergoing this treatment, the NKF has a Comprehensive PD Community Support Programme where trained and experienced PD nurses work closely with the hospitals to support PD patients at home to help them start and stay well on PD.

Committed to Building More New Dialysis Centres

With the increasing kidney patient population, the NKF remains committed to building more new dialysis centres to ensure that no patient will be denied access to dialysis. It continues to staff its dialysis centres with professional renal nurses as well as equip and upgrade the centres with up-to-date medical equipment so that patients receive quality treatment and care to achieve good clinical outcomes.

Providing Holistic Care

The NKF is committed to giving patients Life and Hope. For this reason the Foundation passionately cares for its patients and treats the entire person and not just the disease. Therefore, besides quality dialysis, it has put in place a wide-range of patient welfare programmes to help them cope with their illness so that they can reintegrate into society, support their families and lead fulfilling lives.

Its exercise specialists plan and organise exercise and recreational activities to improve patients’ physical outcomes while dietitians provide personalised nutrition care and diet counselling. A team of medical social workers conducts home visits to address their psychosocial needs. Patient and caregiver workshops on self-management in dialysis care are also conducted regularly.

With patients getting older, sicker, less ambulant and having multiple co-morbidities, the NKF established the Patient Advocacy Programme to enhance the overall dialysis experience of patients.

Patient Advocates visit newly diagnosed patients at the hospitals to provide psycho-emotional support. Through the “Buddy System”, Advocates also encourage new patients at the weekly New Patient Orientation and at dialysis centres as they begin their dialysis journey. These advocates also volunteer their services in the NKF’s Community Outreach Programme to give back to society. Monthly patient gatherings are also held as a platform to enrich patients’ lives through bonding and sharing.

Through the Circle of Hearts programme, volunteers help patients in their rehabilitation by providing friendship, conducting enrichment classes, engaging them through mind stimulation activities as well as providing house cleaning and painting services to the needy patients. Volunteers also escort patients with mobility issues for their medical appointments and dialysis sessions as well as deliver food provisions to patients’ homes.

Partnering Other Healthcare Organisations and the Community

The NKF works closely with the Ministry of Health, other healthcare providers and the community, as it does its part to increase awareness of kidney disease and prevention, promote kidney transplantation, encourage home dialysis and improve dialysis care, while utilising donations in the most prudent and cost-effective manner.

Ultimately, its aim is to ensure that no needy patient is deprived of treatment and that the Foundation’s programmes remain viable, leaving a legacy for the people of Singapore, the NKF donors and supporters who make its programmes a living example of human compassion.


References

  1. ↑ http://www.nkfs.org/our-history.html
  2. ↑ http://www.nkfs.org/board-of-directors.html
  3. ↑ https://www.moh.gov.sg/content/moh_web/home/pressRoom/speeches_d/2001/NKF_centre_opening_and_donor_appreciation_ceremony.html

External links

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