SUMMERSIDE – Prince County Hospital’s new kidney dialysis unit officially opens Friday, but one local resident is already crying foul over Charlottetown patients being booked for prime appointment times.

Michael Gallant lives in St. Gilbert, near Wellington, and faces a 30-minute drive to his 7:30 a.m. appointments that begin at the new clinic next week.

The only problem: Gallant is partially blind and must rely on either his parents, in their late 60s, or his uncle, in his 70s, to drive him to Summerside.

He said new Charlottetown patients are being booked for most afternoon appointments at PCH until the capital’s new dialysis unit opens.

“I have no objections to that, but to send them down and take our priority times and the best days… that doesn’t make sense,” Gallant said.

“I’m 44. I have a life outside of dialysis. I may not be able to see 100 per cent, but I have plans for the next five weekends.”

There are currently 78 patients receiving dialysis across the Island, a number the province’s health department says is sure to increase in the coming years.

Heart disease and diabetes, underlying contributors to kidney disease, are both on the rise on P.E.I.

The department hopes to offset the resulting increase in dialysis patients with new treatment centres in Summerside and at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Charlottetown patients currently receive dialysis at Beach Grove Home.

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