Six major dialysis providers in Singapore have teamed up under the leadership of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) to create a shared platform advocating for employer understanding and job opportunities for about 10,000 dialysis patients [1, 2, 3]. The group includes DaVita, Diaverum, Kidney Dialysis Foundation, NKF, SATA CommHealth, and Tzu Chi Foundation (Singapore) [1, 2, 3].
Dialysis patients typically undergo treatment three times a week, each session lasting about four hours, totaling roughly 12 hours weekly. This schedule makes maintaining regular employment challenging [1, 2, 3]. Azliza Aman, a dialysis patient since 2021 after kidney failure caused by diabetes and high blood pressure, shared her struggles with work. She said, "I was working at a call centre for the travel industry, but because Covid-19 disrupted the industry, I became unemployed for about two years. When I managed to secure a job at another call centre in 2023, I had to give it up after more than a year" because her dialysis sessions conflicted with work hours [1].
She recalled, "I had picked the last session, which starts at 5.30pm, but the company was unable to let me leave early as work ended at 6pm" [1].
Another patient, N. Nandahkumaram, described the physical toll of dialysis, saying, "I literally felt like a water bottle with my body full of fluid. I felt really bloated, and there was no way I was able to get rid of the excess fluid" [1].
The platform aims to promote workplace inclusion and advocate for flexible employment arrangements to help patients balance healthcare needs and work commitments. NKF’s EMPower+ programme, which includes the training initiative Kaki Corner, supports dialysis patients in gaining job skills and finding employment [1, 2, 3].
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is also launching AfA-SHEL, a scheme designed to support re-employment for workers facing health setbacks, which may benefit dialysis patients [1, 2, 3].
