TACKLING KIDNEY DISEASES AMIDST COVID-19: AWARENESS IS THE KEY

Pune 12 August 2021: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is emerging as a major public health problem in India.  This problem gets more compounded in the pandemic era because viral infection, experts say, results in kidney damage in 7% to 15% of patients. “When your kidneys do not work well for longer than 3 months, we call it chronic kidney disease (CKD). In the early stages, there may not be any symptoms. And, if detected early, it is easier to treat the condition,” explains Dr. Sunil Jawale, renowned Nephrologist, from Jehangir Hospital, Pune.

There are a number of conditions that lead to CKD including immune system diseases and pyelonephritis, a kind of urinary tract infection within the kidneys resulting in scarring. But diabetes and high blood sugar are the main culprits.  Those who have diabetes and hypertension must check kidney health regularly as 30% of them, most likely, will develop kidney disease in the long run, caution medical experts.  By introducing some simple lifestyle modifications, it is easy to ensure kidney health, they advise. 

So, why is that lifestyle modification is important for kidney health? To arrive at an answer, it would be good to consider a related medical condition – a kidney stone. The incidence of kidney stones is on the rise world over and India is no exception. It is estimated that about 12% of the population in India develop urinary stones in their life out of whom at least 50% end up with some form of kidney failure. “Kidney stone is a common lifestyle disease,” avers Dr. Jawale.

To prevent stone formation, one must avoid a high-salt diet, excessive intake of caffeine, sugary and aerated drinks, chocolates and nuts, and animal protein. “We eat too much junk food these days which are very high on salt. It might taste good, but from a health point of view, it is too bad,” adds the doctor. Lifestyle modifications, according to the doctor, include drinking plenty of water, eating fruits and vegetables, doing regular physical exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, getting enough sleep, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol intake. 

He also stresses the need to undergo Covid-19 vaccination. This is the most important step in the current situation, “the doctor adds. 

“Plus, there is also important to manage diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease as the case may be.  These simple measures will keep your kidneys healthy,” Dr. Jawale explains, hastening to add that “damaged kidneys do not mean everything is lost.” 

It is true that some forms of kidney diseases are treatable.  As for CKD, there is, however, no cure and once the kidneys cannot keep up with the waste on their own, then the treatment is for end-stage kidney disease including dialysis and transplant. 

Statistics show that about 2.5 lakh people suffer from stage diseases every year in India and only 7 out of 10 patients for dialysis while 6 out of 10 cannot continue treatment.

Some forms of kidney disease are treatable. But there is no cure for CKD. Once the kidneys cannot keep up with the waste on their own, then the treatment is for end-stage kidney disease which includes dialysis and kidney transplant. 

It is estimated that in India 2.5 lakh people suffer from last-stage kidney diseases every year. In this 7 out of 10 patients go for dialysis while the number of transplantations taking every year leaves much to be desired.    

The annual requirement of kidneys, according to the Ministry of Health, ranges between 1-2 lakhs while only about 5,000 transplantations take place a year.  That shows the huge gap between demand and supply. 

“This is basically due to low awareness. With greater awareness and more people coming forward to donate, we can save lots of lives,” opines Dr. Sunil Jawale, concurring that the Union Government has been encouraging organ donation through a series of campaigns. 

Organ donation and transplantation are highly relevant to India considering the fact that it is the diabetic capital of the world and any spike in the number of diabetes cases will also lead to a proportionate increase in the number of CDs. 

So, the message is loud and clear: We need awareness on two counts. One, to follow a healthy lifestyle to maintain kidney health, and two, to donate organs.  This alone with paving the path for a healthy life and a healthy future.