Thousands await approval from Human Organ Transplantation Authority RAWALPINDI: Patients suffering from kidney disease in Punjab have to put up with harrowing experiences just to stay alive. The people afflicted with renal failure have only one option: to undergo continuous dialysis. However, this is easier said than done. Owing to an increase in kidney disease in Pakistan, there is a perennial rush at government hospitals for dialysis as it is mostly free for patients whereas the same procedure in a private hospital costs thousands of rupees for a single session. Some renal patients have to undergo dialysis twice, sometimes thrice a week which translates into big sums of money being spent just to stay alive. It should be noted that at present there is an extraordinary rush of patients in all government and nongovernment dialysis centres, making it next to impossible for patients to schedule dialysis treatment.