Hoshiarpur- “Every year 2.20 lakh new patients in the country suffer from chronic kidney disease. Kidney disease is also the sixth fastest growing cause of death, which may become the fifth leading cause by 2040. Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Dr. Sunil Kumar, Director of Renal Transplant Surgery, Park Hospital, said that the prevalence of kidney disease has almost doubled in the last decade.
He said that risk factors like diabetes, obesity and stress are responsible for the increase in kidney disease. Consultant Nephrology Dr. Mukesh Goyal said that in India every 10 minutes a person is added to the waiting list for organ transplant and 20 people lose their lives every day due to lack of organs.
More than 3 lakh patients are waiting for organ donation, but less than 10 percent of the patients get organs for transplant. “Nationally, with a population of 1.4 billion people, 0.08 people donate organs per million population (PMP). This is a very small and insignificant number compared to global figures.
Only 0.01 per cent of people in India donate organs after death. Dr Malvika Tendulkar, Consultant Anaesthesia, said 85% of people waiting for organ donation require kidneys and kidney is the most donated organ in India.
Dr Swati Gupta, Consultant Anaesthesia, said, “Hypertension, diabetes, BPH, untreated kidney stones and UTI are the main causes of kidney failure in India.”
Tips to prevent kidney disease:
1. Control diabetes, high blood pressure
2. Reduce salt intake
3. Drink 8-10 glasses of water daily
4. Do not resist the urge to urinate
5. Eat a balanced diet, which includes plenty of fruits
6. Drink healthy beverages
7. Avoid alcohol and smoking
8. Exercise daily
9. Avoid self-medication, especially with painkillers
10. Think before taking protein supplements and herbal medicines without discussing with your doctor