Measures to check kidney diseases stressed

LAHORE:One in seven people in Pakistan suffers from chronic kidney disease (CKD) in comparison to global figure of one in 10 adults suffering from this disease.

This was stated by Dr Junaid Iqbal, consultant nephrologist at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre on the eve of World Kidney Day on Wednesday. The day is marked every year to raise awareness about kidney diseases, their prevention and emerging new treatments to improve kidney health. This year, World Kidney Day’s theme is “Prevention of Kidney Diseases”.

The global burden of CKD is a major cause of catastrophic health expenditure. The costs of dialysis and transplantation consume 2–3 per cent of the annual healthcare budget in high-income countries; spent on less than 0.03pc of the total population of these countries. In low-income and middle-income countries, most people with kidney failure have insufficient access to lifesaving dialysis and kidney transplantation.

Talking about the preventive measures to avoid CKD, Dr Junaid pointed out that kidney disease can be prevented and progression to end-stage kidney disease can be delayed with appropriate access to basic diagnostics and early treatment.

In the developing countries like Pakistan, specific policies directed toward education and awareness about kidney disease as well as CKD screening, management and treatment are often lacking. There is a need to create awareness about the importance of preventive measures throughout populations, professionals and policy makers.

“Here at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center (SKMCH&RC), the medical staff ensures that all patients are appropriately screened for kidney disease and are provided with appropriate education regarding kidney disease treatment and follow-up. People with acute or chronic kidney problems are reviewed and followed up by the nephrology team,” he added.

This year World Kidney Day continues to raise awareness of the increasing burden of kidney diseases worldwide and to strive for kidney health for everyone everywhere. Precisely, the 2020 campaign highlights the importance of preventive interventions to avert the onset and progression of kidney disease.

“Specifically, primary prevention of kidney disease requires the modification of risk factors, including diabetes mellitus and hypertension, unhealthy diets, structural abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tracts, and/ or nephrotoxicity levels. In addition, CKD is common in women in Pakistan due to complications related to pregnancy and labour. Poor healthcare facilities and care for pregnant women can lead to development of chronic kidney disease. Provision of timely care and identification of such high-risk population is essential. Preventative primary interventions include promoting healthy lifestyle, including physical activity and healthy diets, screening for patients at higher CKD risk with the aid of urine and blood tests and keeping screening data in a CKD registry,” said Dr Junaid.

While concluding his talk, he stated, “In 2020, World Kidney Day calls on everyone to advocate for concrete measures in every country to promote and advance kidney disease prevention. These measures must include renewed focus on primary care, awareness raising and education, including patient empowerment and cross-specialty training.