KATHMANDU: German ambassador to Nepal Verena Graetin Von Roedern today handed over five Haemodialysis Machines to Bir Hospital. The Fresenuis 40008B machines, worth Rs 10.08 million, were donated by the Stuttgart-based German Nepalese Help Association in coordination with Patienten-Heimversorgung Gemeinnuetzige Stiftung. The machines were received by Prof CP Maskey, vice-chancellor, National Academy of Medical Sciences, Bir Hospital. Roedern appreciated the effort of GNHA to donate the life-saving machines and urged medical personnel to make the most of the assistance. Prof Maskey said the machines would help provide hassle-free service to kidney patients. Kidney dialysis is essential when the patients develop end-stage kidney failure — time when the organs lose about 85 to 90 per cent function. Dr RK Agrawal, chief, Nephrology Department, said the last-stage kidney dysfunction was a rapidly increasing public health problem, necessitating dialysis or transplantation. Dialysis performs the function of normal kidneys - maintaining balance in the body by removing waste, salt and extra water. There are two types of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Kamal Rupakheti, country representative, GNHA, said the assistance would help the hospital enhance its service for the benefit of patients, calling on the administration to properly utilise and timely maintain the machines. In Nepal, haemodialysis service was started in Bir Hospital in 1988, with two India-donated HD machines.