KARACHI, Feb 21: An estimated 15,000 end-stage kidney disease patients in Pakistan need dialysis or transplant each year. According to a conservative estimate, Rs200,000 per patient annually is required to help these people which makes the required budgetary allocation Rs288 million.

In Pakistan, hardly 20 per cent of such patients is fortunate enough to have dialysis and only 5 per cent is able to get kidney transplant done, Chief Executive of the Kidney Foundation Dr S. A. Jaffar Naqvi said.

“ Our aim should be to prevent diabetes and hypertension, thus delaying the onset and avoid progression of chronic kidney disease to end stage,” he said.

WORLD KIDNEY DAY: Countries across the globe will observe the World Kidney Day on March 8 with the theme “Chronic Kidney Disease — A Developing Country’s Perspective”.—PPI/APP