KIDNEY DISEASE
India has a staggering of chronic kidneydisease.Unfortunately
for the vast majority of patients who progress to the end stage, the consequence is fatal renal failure. There is a strong case rapidly to scale up facilities for free or highly subsidised dialysis. Access to dialysis is crucial, since Kidney transplants are available only to a small minority who can find a legal donor and afford the costs. But the major challenge lies at the public health policy level. Can government prevent people with early CKD from developing renal failure?
We need for a population level programme of annual testing to detect diabetes and hypertension. Treating both conditions with life style modification such as dietary controls, exercise and medications for those who have inpaired renal function- measured by the presence of protein in urine and threshold value for the kidneys's filtration capacity. Affordable generic drugs reduce further damage to kidney filters from elevated blood pressure and protein loss. The Kidney is a silent organ but ignoring it can lead to disastrous consequences.
Prof. John Kurakar
No comments:
Post a Comment