Kidney Diseases: Dialysis services at upazilas stressed

Dialysis services should be urgently extended to upazila level to serve critical kidney patients, speakers at a seminar said yesterday.

Speaking at the opening session of the four-day 15th Annual Convention and Scientific Seminar organised by Kidney Foundation Bangladesh at its conference room in Dhaka, they also stressed innovative programmes to find new alternative treatment methods for treatment of kidney diseases.

According to the foundation, some 40,000 people suffer kidney failure each year, of whom 80 percent die due to lack of regular kidney dialysis and transplant service.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) means damage to one or both kidneys. It happens slowly over a long period of time, and results kidney failing to filter blood the way it should. It can cause wastes to build up in human body and other health problems.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Harun Ur Rashid, president of Kidney Foundation, said, “Expansion of services for kidney disease treatment is urgent. It should be expanded to upazilas across the country. All medical colleges should be equipped with kidney transplant facilities.”

“Our study reveals that 75 percent of patients who start kidney dialysis stop dialysis within six months due to unable to bear the expenses,” said Prof Muhidur Rahman, secretary general of the foundation.

Speaking as chief guest, National Professor Brig (Rtd) Abdul Malik, president of National Heart Foundation, spoke of combined efforts to tackle the spectre of non-communicable diseases.

Prof AK Azad Khan, president of Diabetic Association of Bangladesh, highlighted the necessity of preventing and controlling diabetes through maintaining disciplined lifestyle and healthy diet.

Maj Gen (Retd) Dr ASM Matiur Rahman, former adviser to a caretaker government; Prof Magdi Yaqoob, academic director of Nephrology at Royal London Hospital in the UK; and Maj Gen (Retd) Prof Ziauddin Ahmed spoke in the session, among others.

On the first day of the conference, researchers and physicians from home and abroad presented papers in four scientific sessions.

Throughout the four-day conference, delegates will receive academic and hands-on training on the state-of-the-art methods of kidney diseases treatment.