3.80cr have kidney diseases in country

Even though there are an estimated 3.8 crore people with kidney diseases in the country, the awareness on how to prevent the disease is still low, physicians told a discussion yesterday.

National Professor AK Azad Khan, president of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh, said people often ignored the messages spread through awareness campaigns on kidney health, diabetes and high blood pressure.

People may pay heed to the campaign messages if they are told properly. Research should be done to figure out how these campaigns can be done so as to make an impact on the people, he said.

The discussion was organised by Kidney Awareness Monitoring and Prevention Society (CAMPS) at Jatiya Press Club.

The government has taken an initiative to detect patients in villages, the speakers said, urging the government to introduce insurance for kidney patients.

The prime minister's personal physician Prof ABM Abdullah said, "Uncontrolled blood pressure and diabetes lead to kidney diseases. Special emphasis should be given on preventing measures."

Prof Robed Amin, line director (non-communicable disease control) at the health directorate, said according to an estimation made two years ago, there were 3.8 crore people with kidney diseases. Of them, 40,000 to 50,000 people have kidney failure.

Prof Harun-ur-Rashid, president of Kidney Foundation, said people over 40 should get regular screening for kidney problems, because people often do not suffer symptoms until 80 to 85 percent of the kidneys are damaged.

Anwar Hossain, professor of paediatric nephrology, said 16.2 percent babies were born prematurely in the country, and these preterm babies were at risk of kidney diseases.