March 17, 2006

Experts have expressed concern over the rising incidences of chronic kidney diseases

By THAKUR AMGAI

Even as kidney transplant surgery in Bir Hospital is yet to resume since its false start one and a half years ago, nephrologists have expressed concern over the rising incidences of Kidney failure.

Nephrologists from government hospitals and private hospitals alike expressed the view that chronic kidney diseases is coming up as a major threat to public health. Doctors agreed that the problem was caused by lack of public awareness and a trend to visit the health facilities at the last stage of the disease.

Stressing that most of the severe cases could be easily avoided if timely treatment is done, Dr. Rishi Kumar Kafle, executive director of National Kidney Center said, “Ninety percent of the severe cases could be avoided if treatments are done in the preliminary stage of kidney problem.”

Citing the World Health Organization (WHO) data that one in ten individuals in the world have some or other problems related to kidney, Dr. Kafle, said that some 25,00,000 to 30,00,000 people in the country could be suffering from some kind of kidney ailment.

With a view to increase public awareness among the public about chronic kidney diseases, International Federation of Kidney Foundation and International Society of Nephrology celebrated the first ‘World Kidney Day’ on March 9 worldwide. National Kidney Center (NKC) and Nepal Society of Nephrology celebrated it with various programs in Nepal . NKC offered a free urine check up at the center on the occasion for one day.

Doctors informed that the pressure of chronic diseases is on the rise worldwide. “It is estimated that the deaths due to chronic diseases will increase by 17 percent worldwide in the next one decade, while the deaths due to the contagious diseases is estimated to decrease by 3 per cent,” said Dr. Sudha Khakurel, the chief of Nephrology unit at Bir Hospital. “By 2030, 360 million people could die due to chronic kidney diseases only.”

Chronic Kidney diseases have become one of the major challenges not only in developing countries like Nepal , but throughout the globe. The cost of haemo-dialysis, kidney transplant and its post-medication, required for chronic kidney patients is too high to afford even for the affluent.

According to doctors, there are about 8,000 to 10,000 chronic kidney patients reporting in health facilities regularly. About 2,500 to 3,000 add to the list every year. Out of that about 500 people have undergone kidney transplant from Indian and other international hospitals.

Meanwhile, kidney transplant surgery started by Bir Hospital one and a half years ago had to be suspended immediately and it has not resumed yet. Bir Hospital had conducted such a surgery on one Pradeep Chaudhary in November, 2004, but could not succeed.

The Ministry of Health permitted Bir Hospital to conduct such surgery four years ago. Dr. Khakurel informed that they would resume the surgery service as soon as possible.

Of late, private hospitals have also started to show interest towards Kidney transplant surgery. However, they have not gotten a green signal from the Organ Transplant Steering Committee, the monitoring agency for all organ transplant surgeries.