To mark the World Kidney Day, Shalamar Hospital Outpatient Department-I set up a free medical camp, here on Saturday. The patients were provided the facility of free diabetes tests, urine test, ultrasound and blood pressure. Awareness literature and free medicines were also distributed among the patients in the camp.
Chief Guest Professor Dr Tahir Shafi and Dr Rashid Ahmed visited the camp and appreciated the public interest and involvement of pharmaceutical companies. Dr Shafi also delivered a lecture on kidney disease and its safety precautions. Experts said that 40% of kidney diseases were due to diabetes and could be minimised by controlling diabetes.
About five million patients were suffering from kidney-related diseases in Pakistan, they said. Early detection of kidney impairment is essential and requires proper treatment before kidney damages or deterioration manifests itself through other complications. Kidney diseases develop slowly and the symptoms only appear at a stage when the patient already has kidney failure and may even need dialysis immediately.