Challenges for Peritoneal Dialysis Centers Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mexico

Aim. We aimed at performing a situation analysis to identify challenges that Mexico's peritoneal dialysis centers (PDCs) have faced before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. From May–August 2021, we conducted a cross-sectional nationwide online survey with the heads of 136 PDCs at the Mexican Institute of Social Security. The survey gathered information about PDCs characteristics and the adaptations and challenges they faced before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The response rate to the survey was 79.5% (136 out of 171 PDCs). We used descriptive statistics to analyze the data. Results. The survey responses suggest wide variations between PDCs regarding their number of patients, healthcare staff availability, and compliance with the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis recommendations. In the pre-pandemic period, PDCs faced staff shortages (71.3%); scarcity of supplies (39.0%); catheter dysfunctions (29.4%); poor patient adherence to peritoneal dialysis (PD) (28.6%); and lack of patient support networks (25.7%). During the pandemic, PDCs faced emergent challenges, such as losing designated PDC areas within hospitals (61.0%), and staff and supply shortages (60.2%, 41.1%, respectively) because of a reallocation of human and physical resources towards the COVID-19 response. The pandemic prompted 86.7% of PDCs to implement preventive public health measures, delay non-urgent consultations and procedures (63.6%), and introduce telemedicine (37.3%). Additionally, fewer patients visited PDCs because of their fear of COVID-19 contagion (36.0%). Conclusions. Actions are urgently needed to ensure adherence to evidence-based PD guidelines and sufficient resources, including trained staff, supplies, and designated spaces to strengthen PDCs and provide safe and effective PD.