KARACHI, March 8: Like elsewhere around the globe, Pakistanis too will observe the World Kidney Day for the first time on March 9. The Kidney Day has been jointly launched by the International Society of Nephrology and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations, in response to the alarming prospect that chronic kidney disease and other major chronic non-communicable diseases will claim the lives of 36 million people by the year 2015.
The day will be held on the second Thursday of March every year. This year, the theme is “Early detection and prevention” and supporters of the day believe that it would help increase awareness of chronic kidney diseases and its associated cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
According to International Society of Nephrology President William G. Couser, the renal community armed with the knowledge and facts should reach out to educate healthcare providers and the community at large on how to act on the kidney problems.
Various hospitals and healthcare bodies in the city have announced to hold seminars and conferences in connection with the World Kidney Day in the city.
According to the director of Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Prof Adibul Hasan Rizvi, it is estimated that every year 100 new patients develop end stage renal failure in a population of one million. Limited and non-uniform treatment facilities lead to death of majority.
He said that apart from dialysis and transplant facilities, which were expensive and beyond the means of vast majority of population, it was equally important that diseases of kidney were diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
Holding that stone disease is very prevalent in southern parts of the country, Dr Rizvi said that high fluid intake to prevent dehydration was a very simple measure to prevent stone formation.
Doctors at The Kidney Foundation are of the view that chronic kidney disease had close relationship with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and carried a high morbidity and mortality rate. The disease can be detected by good history recording of blood pressure and urine examination at an early stage, they added, saying the early detection of diseases and increasing awareness about the diseases were the rational and viable options for a country like Pakistan. Various forms of nephritis, malaria, venomous bites, among others, are considered as significant causes of both chronic and acute kidney failure.
Referring to some scientific works carried out at JPMC’s nephrology department, Dr Abdul Manan Junejo said that malaria had considerable morbidity and mortality and was a serious health problem in Pakistan too. He said that malaria was one of the most common causes of acute renal failure. A study spread over a period of two years made at JPMC’s nephrology department showed that out of 50 patients of malaria, 24 patients (48 per cent) developed acute renal failure. Early diagnosis and aggressive treatment and anti-malarial therapy could bring about recovery, he added.
Dr Junejo said that diabetic nephropathy, a micro-vascular complication of diabetes, was another leading cause of end stage renal diseases. In the case of acute renal failure, he observed that it was a common clinical syndrome and multi-factorial in origin, which could be reversed if early detection and management was ensured.
Dr Mohammad Rafique Ansari of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences discussed pregnancy related acute renal failure in villages. Referring to his group’s study to see the incidence of obstetric related acute renal failure, Dr Ansari said that during a period from November 2004 to October 2005, a total 116 patients of ARF were admitted at LUMHS, out of which 42 cases were of obstetric related acute renal failures and all of them were previously known to be healthy.
As part of World Kidney Day activities, the Aga Khan University will hold a seminar, wherein Dr David Taylor, Dr Tazeen H. Jafar, Dr Waqar Kashif, Dr Jaffar Naqvi, Dr Raziuddin Bayabani, Dr Asim Ahmad, Dr Iqtidar Ahmad Khan, Dr Mohammad Azharuddin, Dr Fazal Akhtar and Dr Rauf Mazhar are expected to speak.
